Lu Bu descended, why did he ask for it
Historically, whenever a war broke out, there were always losers. Under the concept of success and defeat, some people choose to die rather than give in, and some people choose to be aggrieved and surrender. Many people often look down on those who surrendered, but they forget that Lu Bu of the Three Kingdoms also surrendered to Cao Cao.
However, his fate is not in his own control, but in Liu Bei's hands. On the White Gate Tower, Lu Bu begged to surrender, why didn't Cao Cao make a decision directly, but asked Liu Bei for advice?
In times of turmoil, various forces have risen to become enemies of each other. Cao Cao, the force that had the power to coerce the Son of Heaven to order the princes, became the target of public criticism.
Liu Bei, Lu Bu and others were no exception, and they began to act one after another in order to consolidate their position. The first to do it was Lü Bu, who was entrenched near Xuzhou at the time, and he felt threatened by this, so he decided to join forces with Cao Cao and march together into Xiapi to eliminate the trouble.
Regarding this decision, Lu Bu's advisor Chen Gong strongly opposed it, believing that it was a trap. However, Lü Bu knew that the situation was serious, and he decided to hold back his anger for the time being and conserve his strength so that he could make a wiser choice in the future.
He was accustomed to a comfortable life in Xuzhou, and he couldn't stand it. Despite Chen Gong's advice, he chose to send troops to meet the battle. Because of the opportunity, the hope of early victory was greatly increased.
However, when Cao Cao and Liu Bei learned of the situation, they reacted quickly and took action. They tightly surrounded the city of Xiapi and used Surabaya and Yishui to carry out water attacks on the city. In the event that he could not resist, Lu Bu could only choose to surrender.
As soon as he was taken to the opposing barracks, he was tied up by the Five Flowers. As the saying goes, the king loses. Before surrendering, Cao Cao and his advisers began to discuss what to do with the captives.
They believed that although Lü Bu was brave and capable, he had no intention of surrendering. Therefore, after considering it, they recommended that he be executed.
Cao Cao had many confrontations with his opponents, and although they were victorious, the price he paid was huge. The advisors witnessed these battles and unanimously supported his decision, and no one objected.
At first, Cao Cao also intended to take the advice of his advisers, who tended to analyze problems more comprehensively. The strategists hated Lu Bu to the core, and even resolutely opposed his request to release him, which shows their determination to kill Lu Bu.
However, when he heard that this former enemy had expressed his willingness to submit to him, Cao Cao's killing intent began to waver. He believed that Lü Bu had the intention of surrendering and could be a useful help, but the diametrically opposed advice of the advisors put him in a dilemma.
Therefore, he asked Liu Bei for advice.
Cao Cao used the test of Liu Bei's loyalty to further bring them closer. When attacking Lü Bu, although the two joined forces, Cao Cao, as the person who held the Son of Heaven hostage to make the princes ascend to the throne, still had some concerns in his heart.
And the two have fought each other before, so they don't trust each other completely. He chose to join forces with Liu Bei because this was his current helpless move. Previously, the Han army had always been at a disadvantage in many battles with Cao Cao and suffered heavy losses.
In order to defeat Cao Cao and avenge himself, repeated forbearance will only make Cao Cao stronger. Cao Cao decided to join forces with Liu Bei after comprehensive consideration. He clearly knew what he was doing, so he also wanted to use this opportunity to test Liu Bei's loyalty.
Whatever the outcome, Cao Cao will benefit from it.
In the troubled times, Liu Bei, as a descendant of the Han family, spread his name of benevolence and righteousness all over the world. If he can gain the support of his allies, Cao Cao will not only bring satisfactory results to his strategists, but also gain a brave and skilled general.
The move will also help strengthen the alliance between the two sides. After all, Liu Bei's army has a good reputation in the hearts of the people, and Cao Cao does not want Liu Bei's strength to surpass him in the future, resulting in himself in a passive situation.
However, Lu Bu had previously saved the lives of Liu Bei's family in battle, and if it wasn't for Lu Bu's behavior going too far, he wouldn't have chosen to fight back. It's just that Lu Bu once took advantage of the unpreparedness to seize Xuzhou and almost left Cao Cao homeless, so when facing Cao Cao's problem, he felt that it was difficult to choose.
If you consider it purely from the perspective of combat strength, this person is very powerful, and if you keep him by your side, you will definitely make a difference in the future. Liu Bei cherishes talents very much in his heart, and if he kills him like this, it will affect his image of benevolence and righteousness.
However, Cao Cao knew that Liu Bei had been betrayed by himself before, so he guessed that Liu Bei was testing himself. After all, he had already betrayed Liu Bei once, and now that he had fallen into Liu Bei's hands, if Liu Bei chose to spare him, Cao Cao might be worried that Liu Bei would be unfavorable to him.
After weighing up, Cao Cao decided to kill the captive. If this captive was left behind, Cao Cao would be even more worried, considering the previous relationship between the two. After all, they were a family before, and now with the grace of saving their lives, Cao Cao will definitely worry that their relationship will become soothing in the future.
In order to protect himself, Cao Cao had to make such a decision.
In troubled times, finding a reliable backer is the key to strengthening relationships. He foresaw that Liu Bei had the intention of getting rid of the other party, so he took the initiative to hand over the decision-making power, aiming to destroy the other party's benevolent image and eliminate worries.
His aim was to temporarily place the other side under his command, which would be more beneficial to future domination and warfare. After all, the opponent's long-term campaign has left a good impression in the hearts of many people, and if he can be attracted to join, it will be of great benefit to his hegemony.
In addition, considering the situation at that time, only Liu Bei could be compared to Cao Cao. Therefore, the quickest way to fight for power is through this strong alliance.
However, he still had concerns in his mind. After all, the defeat of this subordinate who had betrayed him, occupied Xuzhou, and left him almost homeless made him suspicious. Therefore, he did not fully trust what the other side said when he surrendered, and feared that he would one day suffer a similar fate.
Therefore, he chose to hand over the decision.
Liu Bei and Lü Bu were at war, but the Han army did not gain the advantage. In this battle, Cao Cao intended to release Lü Bu and ask him to avenge Liu Bei, so as to win over the relationship between the two sides. Cao Cao also hoped to unite the princes and consolidate his dominance through his closeness to the Han army.
It was a brilliant strategy that not only tested the loyalty of allies, but also strengthened ties with each other. While the loss of a talented person who could help him or her help, from another perspective, it also eliminates a threat that could be at the moment, leaving the future worry-free.
With the support of the Han army, the future journey will be smoother. In Cao Cao's eyes, although the Han army was just a pawn, in comparison with Lü Bu, he was more inclined to Liu Bei because he believed that Liu Bei was more beneficial to him.
Therefore, even if Lu Bu is sacrificed, he will not hesitate.