The Scheming Advisor and the Bloody Defection
Run-and-gun Jia Xu had a word for Cao Cao. She mentioned there were good strategies but also points of unease.
"Hmm. And what might those uneasy points be?" Cao Cao stared intently at Jia Xu.
"I hear that for this Xuzhou campaign, the Prime Minister himself will take the field."
Jia Xu said with a bright smile.
"Ah, of course. The city walls won't fall unless I lead the charge personally." Cao Cao chuckled slyly, scanning the surroundings as if probing for spies.
"With the Prime Minister away, Heodong will be vulnerable."
Jia Xu let out a sigh.
"What do you mean? I've left the defense of Heodong to Man Chong. No need to worry."
Cao Cao tilted his head quizzically.
"It's not a military concern. In Heodong's imperial court, aren't there plenty of Han loyalists slandering and envying the Prime Minister? If they band together and scheme, Heodong could turn from home to enemy territory."
Cao Cao's expression hardened at Jia Xu's words.
Her words were polite, but they were a roundabout warning.
Cao Cao had enthroned the puppet emperor and lately acted with utter impunity, teetering on the edge of being framed as a traitor. He knew his opponents lurked slyly somewhere in Heodong. He'd personally executed one who'd attempted an assassination recently, so he knew all too well.
"And there's another external threat. You know of Ma Teng's forces to the west of Heodong. While the Prime Minister is away, Ma Teng—who's always eyed the south—could march southward."
Cao Cao's face changed at Jia Xu's words.
Eh? Ma Teng? It wasn't something he could just laugh off; there was precedent. When his loose alliance with Li Jue and Guo Si soured, Ma Teng had plotted to strike Chang'an immediately.
"Ma Teng... Yes, I've always meant to settle things with him definitively someday."
Right. Ma Teng was constantly on Cao Cao's mind too. He inwardly saw him as the next foe after Yuan Shao to be crushed.
With Zhang Yuanzi and Dong Zhuo gone, Ma Teng had built the greatest power in the northwest. Even Yuan Shao at the height of his prestige dared not touch him. Later, when Zhou Yu proposed dividing the realm, he even touted Ma Teng and Ma Chao as allies from Dong O. Liu Bei hadn't even been on the table. That was the scale of Ma Teng's influence.
"Can you guarantee the Yan Province incident from last time won't repeat itself?" Jia Xu said slyly to Cao Cao.
It sounded terribly rude at first glance, but it precisely targeted Cao Cao's suspicious nature.
Cao Cao had once marched on Xuzhou only to face a rebellion in Yan Province and turn back.
Heodong and Xuzhou are too far apart. War was like Go. Stones separated weaken; cut in the middle, and the whole chain dies. Heodong and Xuzhou were exactly that distance. Hard to defend. That was Xuzhou's dilemma. Cao Cao knew it deep down.
"But isn't now the perfect time to strike Xuzhou? If Yuan Shu and Sun Jian aren't fighting each other, the chance won't come. If Sun Jian beats Yuan Shu, his foothold in Xuzhou solidifies. Then it'll be tough to take."
"Yes, I'm not questioning the timing. Just prepare in advance."
"Prepare how...?"
"Dispatch troops to Yong Province to tighten discipline. Ma Teng's busy fighting Han Sui right now, no spare attention for his flanks. Seize even one castle there in the meantime, and your rear is secure."
"Hmm. Not bad. So split the army in two—for Xuzhou and Yong Province?"
"How about sending Lord Liu Xuande to Yong Province? His force is about 5,000 now. You could send them as reinforcements to Xuzhou, but attaching a few aides and dispatching to Yong Province would be wiser."
Cao Cao frowned briefly at Jia Xu's suggestion.
"But Xuzhou is to avenge Lord Liu Huangshu's grievances. If he doesn't go..." It was clear he didn't want to openly release Liu Bei.
"We need to spread the Prime Minister's grace across all of Xuzhou."
Jia Xu said in vague tones.
Cao Cao seemed to grasp the implication.
Liu Bei's reputation in Xuzhou was overwhelming. If he marched with Cao Cao, it could build him a support base. Cao Cao had wrested Xuzhou back from Sun Jian, but taking Liu Bei along might just expand his political foundation instead. Even if Cao Cao made conciliatory gestures to Xuzhou's people while with Liu Bei, they'd credit Liu Bei. Better for Cao Cao to go alone, steal the spotlight, and win hearts solo—that was the short message in Jia Xu's words.
Realizing it was smarter to send Liu Bei to Yong Province as a mercenary, rot him out, then summon back to Heodong, Cao Cao burst into laughter.
"Exactly! Lord Huangshu, can you head to Yong Province?"
Cao Cao asked Liu Bei with a grin.
"If it's the Prime Minister's command, I shall obey."
Liu Bei hid his expression and immediately cupped his fists in salute.
"Haha!! Yes!! 5,000 feels shaky, so I'll attach some cavalry under Cha Ju!!"
Cao Cao had chosen his subordinate general Cha Ju as overseer.
Ah... Cha Ju. The man Cao Cao planned to install as Xuzhou governor after conquest. In the original timeline, he'd been killed by Liu Bei after betraying him... Probably the same here.
"I shall repay the Prime Minister's grace!"
Liu Bei declared firmly, kneeling.
And so, Jia Xu's silver tongue sealed our dispatch to the northwest.
------
After the meeting.
Cao Cao called me aside casually.
"Kim Gong. By the way... about the household staying at your home."
He cleared his throat awkwardly as he addressed me.
"Ah... who do you mean?"
"Lady Guan can come to the front lines, fine... but Lady Bu, Lady Cai, Lady Xiao, and Lady Chu."
Uh oh. Something felt off.
"While you're away, this Cao Mengde will take responsibility and look after them well. No worries."
Cao Cao said to me, eyes gleaming with desire.
This guy's womanizing disease is flaring up again.
I winced involuntarily. He was clearly eyeing my women. Great boss otherwise... but this side made him a bit off-putting.
"Haha, thanks for looking after them."
Saying that, I resolved to take all my family on this Yong Province expedition. My determination to chase down the slaves solidified.
-----
As I hurried with expedition prep, one man approached me again.
"Kim Gong."
Cao Ang called me in a friendly tone.
"Ah, Young Master."
It was Cao Ang.
"This time, I'll follow Father to Xuzhou, so we won't fight together."
Cao Ang looked at me with raw emotion dripping from his face, then grabbed my hand.
"Who knows when we'll meet and battle again..."
He stared at me, genuinely regretful.
Ughhh.
My heart softened despite myself. With a superior like Cao Ang, following him wouldn't be so bad.
But our paths diverged.
"We'll meet again someday. The rivers and lakes are vast, aren't they?"
I gripped his hand tightly.
"Mm. This rivers and lakes feel both vast and narrow."
Cao Ang said wistfully, saluted with cupped fists, and withdrew.
------
At that moment, Cao Cao instructed Cha Ju, whom he'd been using lately.
"Cha Ju. Keep a close watch on Liu Huangshu."
Cao Cao's special order was simple.
"Yes! I shall live up to Lord's expectations!"
Cha Ju replied briskly, cupping his fists. Cao Cao had planted him to guard against Liu Bei bolting.
"Good. I trust you."
Cao Cao said, then gazed at the sky.
...Even if he runs, it won't be easy. Xuande. Northwest folk were beast-like. Not for persuading or taming. Even if Liu Bei fled to Ma Teng's banner, no sunlight there. He'd return to Cao Cao eventually. Such optimism filled him.
------
As spring thawed the earth and new shoots sprouted, Cao Cao led over 10,000 troops on the Xuzhou campaign. After his departure, our Liu Bei force marched west to the northwest.
"Best of luck. Xuande."
Cha Ju scanned our entire group with eagle eyes, offering a perfunctory greeting.
"Likewise, General Cha."
Liu Bei replied with a slightly awkward smile.
"By the way... We'll return to Heodong anyway. Why bring all your families?"
Cha Ju fired a cold question immediately. Yep, he zeroed in on that.
I'd busily packed them into the column, thinking it'd pass naturally, but this fat guy was sharper than expected.
Clatter.
Then Cha Ju halted his separate detachment.
Clank.
His soldiers deliberately blocked our path on his order.
We'd marched about an hour; at his command to turn back, we could anytime.
"A northwest expedition takes months. Soldiers miss their families, you know. Boosts morale. Nothing special."
Liu Bei brushed it off.
"Just hold off Ma Teng till the Prime Minister conquers Xuzhou and returns. Why move all your baggage and kin?"
Cha Ju eyed us suspiciously, like a detective possessed.
"The Prime Minister said he'd care for Lord Huangshu and the men's families."
Cha Ju's gaze narrowed further.
Damn. So it comes to this.
Liu Bei's uneasy eyes met Cha Ju's piercing stare.
What now? As the whole Liu Bei force pondered.
Realizing hands beat words, I sprang into action.
"General Cha! Look over there!!"
I pointed dramatically ahead like a kid spotting a UFO.
"Hm?"
The instant Cha Ju turned, I drew my sword and spurred my horse.
Slash!!!
I cleanly severed Cha Ju's neck with my blade.
As Cha Ju became "Cha / Ju," I ordered Lu Bu.
"Lu Bu!! Clear the path!!"
"Got it!!! Let's go, lads!!"
Lu Bu charged, leading Go Sun and Zhang Liao at the soldiers blocking the entrance.
The troops, stunned by Cha Ju's beheading before their eyes, couldn't react to the mad northwest cavalry charge.
Clang!! Stab!! Slash!!
As the northwest men crushed the soldiers, Liu Bei snapped to.
"K-Kim Gong! This method..."
Liu Bei floundered. Too bold a backstab—even he panicked.
"Lord Xuande! Cha Ju already suspects us!!"
I steadied Liu Bei's resolve.
No hesitation once we'd decided to bolt.
"Tch... Everyone!!! Break through!!"
Liu Bei finally ordered his men.
Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and Zhao Yun mounted and joined the fray.
Cha Ju had subordinates too, but with him dead, no proper control. Resisters died; surrenders captured.
Sorry for Cha Ju, but... that's how it went.
------
Once sorted.
"No returning to Heodong now."
Zhao Yun sighed, eyeing what was Cha Ju.
"No choice to subjugate Han traitors. Nothing left in Heodong anyway."
I reminded him of the emperor's edict as justification.
"Damn it. No helping it, brother. Gotta push on now."
Zhang Fei said breezily to Liu Bei.
"Mm. No choice."
Liu Bei sighed, looking apologetic at us.
"My incompetence made you all wanderers again. Sorry."
He seemed truly remorseful.
"..."
No one spoke, but we all thought the same, me included.
Now you say that? The words rose in my throat, but I swallowed them. Whoops.