Passing through five checkpoints—sorry, you shall not pass.

“I heard the Prime Minister intends to let Guan Yu leave?”

“Does the Prime Minister believe that, by letting him go just like this, Guan Yu will be eternally grateful?” Su Ming cut straight to the point with two piercing questions.

Cao Cao cherished talent.

Truth be told, since Guan Yu entered Cao’s camp, Cao Cao had treated him with genuine favor. So much so that his own generals felt a tinge of envy. Now, Guan Yu was leaving, sealing his badge and departing, and this departure weighed heavily on Cao Cao’s heart.

Yet, despite everything, Cao Cao was resolute in letting him go.

Su Ming’s questions struck like a heavy blow, landing squarely on Cao Cao’s heart.

Would Guan Yu remember my kindness? Cao Cao wondered. If he would, why would he abandon me?

“Su Ming, are you implying I should not let Guan Yu leave?” Cao Cao asked, turning to Su Ming.

Su Ming shook his head. “Not so. Forced affection bears no sweetness; you are not wrong to let Guan Yu go, Prime Minister.”

As Su Ming spoke, Xu Chu tugged at his sleeve, meaning to say, “I brought you here to persuade the Prime Minister to let us chase after Guan Yu. Just look at what you’re saying!”

But Su Ming paid him no heed and continued, “Every action has its consequence; every sip, every peck, is determined by fate. Today, you let Guan Yu go. In the future, perhaps he will let you go, Prime Minister.”

He spoke of fate—when Cao Cao retreated through Huarong Pass, Guan Yu remembered their old friendship and spared him. This was cause and effect. So, there was no true fault in letting Guan Yu go.

Su Ming paused, then asked, “Prime Minister, which is the greater favor: embellishing success, or aiding in dire need?”

“Of course, it is aid in dire need,” Cao Cao replied.

This question, even a three-year-old would answer: the favor of helping in hardship outweighs the favor of embellishing success.

“If you simply let Guan Yu leave, he will attribute it to his own prowess, not to your kindness. But if I intercept Guan Yu, capture him alive, and you appear just at the right moment to release him, then Guan Yu will realize he could leave not because of his own strength, but because you permitted it, Prime Minister.”

“Since you wish to grant this favor, let it be one Guan Yu remembers for a lifetime—one he can never repay,” Su Ming finished, his gaze unwavering upon Cao Cao.

Cao Cao listened, visibly hesitating.

Xu Chu thought, “If we can’t take Guan Yu’s head, letting Brother Su Ming rough him up a little to curb his arrogance would do.”

He exclaimed, “Lord, Brother Su Ming speaks reason! Otherwise, Guan Yu may think our camp is a brothel—coming and going as he pleases!”

“Impertinence!” Cao Cao snapped, glaring at Xu Chu. “What nonsense!”

At that moment, Guo Jia, standing nearby, voiced his agreement. “Lord, Young Master Su Ming speaks wisely.”

“Guan Yu has already slain the guardians of Dongling Pass, Kong Xiu; Luoyang’s Han Fu and Meng Tan; and Bian Xi of Sishui Pass. If we let him go now, on future battlefields, our generals might tremble at the mention of his name.”

Among all the strategists in Cao’s camp, whose counsel did Cao Cao heed most? Undoubtedly, Guo Jia’s.

With Guo Jia’s persuasion, Cao Cao quickly made up his mind to follow Su Ming’s suggestion.

However, he harbored one last concern: Could Su Ming truly stand against Guan Yu?

Guan Yu was a famed general, known since the days when the eighteen warlords banded together against Dong Zhuo, and the three heroes battled Lü Bu.

“Su Ming, how confident are you in defeating Guan Yu?” Cao Cao asked.

Su Ming responded without hesitation, brimming with confidence. “Completely certain.”

This was no boast, but plain truth.

According to the hierarchy of martial prowess in the Three Kingdoms, a first-rate general’s strength ranged from ninety to one hundred. Among all native generals, only Lü Bu’s strength exceeded one hundred.

Thus, however formidable Guan Yu might be, his martial prowess could at most reach one hundred—perhaps not even that, since Zhao Yun and Dian Wei ranked ahead of him.

Guan Yu’s strength was likely ninety-nine or one hundred.

But whether ninety-nine or one hundred, it mattered little to Su Ming.

His own martial prowess was one hundred and one.

The difference between within a hundred and beyond is vast. Unless Lü Bu himself returned, no one could rival Su Ming.

Seeing Su Ming’s confidence, Cao Cao reminded him, “Remember, do not harm Guan Yu’s life.”

“Rest assured, Prime Minister; I will act according to your plan!” Su Ming replied.

Su Ming’s real purpose in seeking Cao Cao today was simply to fulfill the task of defeating Guan Yu.

To kill Guan Yu? Su Ming had little interest in that.

Firstly, he had never met Guan Yu—there was neither grudge nor enmity, and no necessity to kill.

In Su Ming’s view, given the current situation, keeping Liu Bei—the troublemaker—brought only benefits, not harm.

Su Ming’s true thorn was not Liu Bei, but Sun Quan.

As long as Sun Quan lived, Su Ming felt unsettled.

Since Sun Quan was his first target, there was no need to clash to the death with Liu Bei.

If Guan Yu were killed, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei would become Su Ming’s sworn enemies.

But to intercept and defeat Guan Yu would fulfill his mission, enhance his reputation in Cao’s camp, and please the boss.

A triple gain, indeed!

Cao Cao not only allowed Su Ming to intercept Guan Yu, but also ordered Xu Chu to lead three thousand elite cavalry in support.

Outside the city, Su Ming rode his Thunder Panther, while Xu Chu and Sun Shangxiang flanked him left and right.

Sun Shangxiang had now become Su Ming’s shadow; wherever he went, she followed.

“Brother Su, I’ll lead the way. Let’s head to Xingyang,” Xu Chu said.

Su Ming cast him an annoyed glance. “Nonsense! If we go to Xingyang now, we’ll be trailing behind Guan Yu, eating dust.”

Yesterday’s report said Bian Xi, Sishui Pass’s guardian, had been slain by Guan Yu, and his next destination was Xingyang.

Calculating the timing, if they rushed to Xingyang now, Guan Yu would have already passed through by the time they arrived.

They’d be in time only to help bury the city’s guardian, Wang Zhi.

Going to Xingyang now would mean catching a hot meal, but intercepting Guan Yu would be impossible.

Instead, they needed to head to the final stop of Guan Yu’s passage through the five gates and six generals—the Yellow River crossing.