Just as Sima Yi had predicted, Cao Ang’s first reaction upon receiving the news of the Southern Huns moving south was to think someone was joking, and his second reaction was that the Southern Huns were seeking death.

"Boren, are you sure the Southern Huns are moving south? How is that possible? Have the Southern Huns gone mad? Our Han Army is sweeping across the Northern Frontier, if they don’t act, there’s still a sliver of hope for them, but if they do, they’ll face the full force of our army." Cao Ang looked at Xiahou Shang incredulously.

"Uncle has completely mobilized the troops in the north; now our forces are extremely sparse north of Sili. This news has already been delayed for nearly two days when it arrived." Xiahou Shang did not bother answering Cao Ang’s question, directly pointing out the crucial point.

"Northern defense is vulnerable?" Cao Ang was shocked in his heart and instantly understood what it meant.

"Even if northern defense is vulnerable, given the strength our Han Dynasty is currently displaying, the Southern Huns should not have the courage to provoke us." Cao Ang immediately retorted.

"Regardless of their courage or the reasons, since the Southern Huns have already moved south, finding reasons is now meaningless." Xiahou Shang said in a deep voice, "What we need to do now is focus more on how to repel the Southern Huns or how to protect the civilians under our rule!"

"Hoo..." With Xiahou Shang’s remarks, Cao Ang also realized that discussing reasons makes no practical sense now; solving the problem is the only thing that matters, so he took a deep breath and stood up.

"How many troops can we mobilize right now?" Cao Ang asked Xiahou Shang sharply, "Even if northern defense is vulnerable, there should still be some forces in other places. How many troops can we mobilize in five days and three days respectively?"

"The troops we can mobilize within five days, that is, from Mei County in the west to Huayin in the east, are more than 25,000 people, but this is after stripping forces from various places, leaving only government officials, and for three days, it’s 20,000 troops." Xiahou Shang calculated briefly and said.

"Why is it so few, did you count the forces in Chang’an?" Cao Ang was greatly surprised, "How come mobilizing every bit of force results in only 20,000 troops?"

"Counted already, precisely because of Chang’an, the delay of two days in mobilization led to 5,000 fewer troops." Xiahou Shang said looking at Cao Ang.

"How many generals do we still have now?" Cao Ang took a deep breath and asked, no longer dwelling on the number of troops but focusing his attention on the leaders.

"The issue with leaders is not a problem, although uncle took away many generals when he left, the Southern Huns only have two or three Inner Qi Manifestation and do not possess Legion Talent, we have generals in the city with Qi Refining to Gang technique, we are not at a disadvantage." Xiahou Shang thought for a moment and said.

"Then how many days until the Southern Huns reach Sili?" Cao Ang heart slightly calmed, he asked another question.

"If fast, six days; if slow, eight days." Xiahou Shang informed Cao Ang of his estimated speed of the Southern Huns’ advance, and Cao Ang’s heart sank, involuntarily pressing his temples.

"So our time is not much; Bingzhou is just fine, there are not many Han people there, but once the Southern Huns enter Sili, it will cause significant damage to the civilians under our rule, so we must block the opponent at the junction of Sili and Bingzhou, we have only at most three days to mobilize troops?" Cao Ang said after a moment of silence.

"Exactly so!" Xiahou Shang said with a gloomy expression.

Cao Ang immediately took Cao Cao’s sword from the wall and walked outside, Xiahou Shang was stunned, immediately following Cao Ang out, seeing Cao Ang mount a horse, preparing to head straight for Weiyang Palace.

"Boren, notify all the generals and officers in our army to prepare, inform all males over the age of sixteen of the Cao Family to prepare for the expedition." Cao Ang shouted to Xiahou Shang the moment he stepped out, "Quickly inform my father of this matter by fast horse."

At this moment, Cao Pi, who was learning archery at the side, looked towards Xiahou Shang, "Cousin, what is my brother doing?"

"He is going to request instructions. I always thought his character was too gentle, lacking decisiveness, but I didn’t expect that when faced with real issues, he made a decision immediately." Xiahou Shang watched Cao Ang’s back without looking at Cao Pi.

Cao Pi tilted his head, slightly understanding Xiahou Shang’s meaning.

Previously, Xiahou Shang also appreciated this eldest brother of the Cao Family, but in his view, Cao Ang was somewhat too gentle, overly accommodating other people’s opinions, yet this time he truly saw Cao Ang’s decisive side. In the past, being accommodating and gentle perhaps wasn’t necessary to be urgent.

But this time, even Xiahou Shang himself hesitated whether to rescue or hold firm, Cao Ang made a decision almost instantly, although one cannot say for certain that Cao Ang’s decision to rescue is surely better than holding firm, but at this moment, being able to make a choice already proves his excellence.

"Ziheng, carry on playing here; I’ll go summon the brothers and the civil and military officers." Xiahou Shang stepped away without turning back, while Cao Pi held onto his bow and arrows, bewilderedly watching Xiahou Shang’s departing figure.

Cao Ang rode through Chang’an directly, heading straight for Weiyang Palace, dismounted his Precious Sword at the palace gate, and walked in following the eunuch to Liu Xie’s study.

Reasonably speaking, Cao Ang’s current official position and title do not qualify him to meet with Liu Xie, but most of the palace is already under Cao Cao’s influence, so Cao Ang forcefully ordered the others to lead him to find Liu Xie, and there was actually no obstruction.

Cao Ang rode swiftly through Chang’an and charged into Weiyang Palace. Meanwhile, Xiahou Shang began to gather Han military officers. The troops attached to the Cao family began to move at the wind, and the younger generation of the Cao family, along with the generals still stationed in Chang’an yet loyal to Cao Cao, quickly assembled.

This movement startled Dong Cheng, Fu Wan, and others who were monitoring Cao Cao’s faction, making them believe that Cao Ang would act today. They immediately closed their doors and began to mobilize their private soldiers, while Fu Wan promptly mounted his horse and entered the palace, secretly ordering the mobilization of the Northern Army, preparing to act.

Should Cao Ang take any improper actions today, Fu Wan would lead the Northern Army from within the inner palace, just like they once defeated Dong Zhuo, and cut Cao Ang into mince. Then he would escort the Emperor and the Noble Consort from Henei to Jizhou, while Dong Cheng, Zhongg Ji, and others would lead their private soldiers in a desperate blockade within Chang’an City.

After all, Cao Ang had never entered the inner palace before, and the eunuch Cao Ang captured happened to be one of the candidates Wu Shuo arranged within the inner palace to protect the Emperor. Therefore, this eunuch led Cao Ang along a side path while secretly signaling others to notify the Emperor and loyal Han followers to prepare.

Due to this, by the time Cao Ang reached the study, the imperial eunuch had already led Fu Wan into the study ahead of him. Thus, when Cao Ang arrived, Fu Wan was reading with Liu Xie.

"Central Marquis of the Northern Han Army, Cao Ang pays respects to the Emperor." Cao Ang respectfully saluted Liu Xie; although he was displeased with Liu Xie, he managed to maintain his composure on the surface.

"No need for formalities." Liu Xie replied indifferently, "I wonder how the Central Marquis of the Northern Army managed to enter the Han Dynasty’s Weiyang Palace?"

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I have an urgent matter to report, and in a critical situation, I had to bend the rules. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Cao Ang again respectfully saluted Liu Xie.

"What matter is so important that you had to break into Weiyang Palace to meet me?" Liu Xie asked coldly, "Speak up, entering the imperial palace without authorization is no minor offense."

Fu Wan lightly coughed twice beside him, signaling Liu Xie not to create such a tense atmosphere. After all, they weren’t fully prepared yet, and even though Fu Wan controlled the Northern Army, he wasn’t confident about reaching Ye City with the Emperor amidst Dong Cheng, Wu Shuo, and others blocking them.

But Liu Xie completely ignored Fu Wan, being in a state of fulfilling his ambitions.

"Nearly the entire Southern Huns are moving south, and will enter Sili within a few days." Cao Ang said, bowing to Liu Xie.

"What?" Fu Wan was taken aback, then abruptly realized, "Your Majesty, I was impolite."

"No need to mind." Liu Xie said with an indifferent expression, as if he hadn’t placed the Southern Huns in his thoughts at all.

Instead, after Fu Wan’s surprise, he nearly froze, his mind racing wildly, suspecting that Cao Ang had ordered the Southern Huns to move south to eliminate the Emperor. However, this was just his mind running in a panic; Cao Ang wouldn’t be foolish enough to such an extent.

After all, whether or not the Emperor is a puppet, if the Emperor dies in the chaos of war, those guarding him must give an explanation.

Even if Liu Bei were protecting the Emperor and the Emperor brought about his own demise, dying in battle, Liu Bei might have to commit suicide to apologize to the world. If Liu Bei didn’t express his regret, his domain might not avoid turmoil. It’s estimated that the entire force would only dissolve by a third, which would still speak volumes of Liu Bei’s remarkable capability.

"In six to eight days, the Southern Huns will approach Sili, and Bingzhou is already in turmoil due to their southward move. Many common people have been displaced." Cao Ang said with some anger, "If no troops are dispatched to intercept the Southern Huns, Sili will soon become a place of widespread suffering."

"Humph, the Southern Huns are summoned by my decree; they are coming to support the King as commanded. Once they arrive, I will incorporate them into the Southern Army and the New Army of the West Garden." Liu Xie said proudly, exuding an air of self-satisfaction.

"What!" Cao Ang and Fu Wan exclaimed, and Fu Wan turned almost ashen, staggered, and his vision went dark.

"Your Majesty, how can you be so reckless!" Cao Ang roared, and his anger-laden shout even caused Liu Xie’s face to turn pale with fear.

Yet, in the next moment, Liu Xie realized he had no reason to fear him. Cao Ang was merely an insignificant figure, and, with his Southern Army and the New Army of the West Garden about to arrive in Chang’an, what did he need to fear!

Instantly, Liu Xie, caught in his internal conflict, was filled with hatred for Cao Ang, daring to call him foolish!

"Treason, treason, you dare roar at me!" Liu Xie screeched angrily, "Guards, guards, seize him for me! Drag him out and execute him, execute him!"

"Crash!" The sound of the study door being pushed open was followed by dozens of elite guards entering the room. Subsequently, a sharp whistle resonated throughout the inner palace, and the guards within the palace immediately surged towards this location!