Arriving at Xuchang
Cao Zhang's presence here carried real weight. Even the Cao Wei who had strutted about with his neck puffed up like a rooster shrank into himself the moment Cao Zhang stepped forward to question him — his head retracting like a turtle's into its shell.
Of course it did. This was Cao Cao's own son.
"You said your name was Cao Wei? I am the son of the late King of Wei, who has only recently passed. Looking at you, you are clearly no relation of ours. Lying to me will do you no good."
"Th-that is so."
"Then what is your office? Your affiliation?"
"Th-that is…"
Naturally he couldn't answer. All swagger and no substance — the man didn't even hold a post. A freeloader, pure and simple.
"If you hold no office, then to which family do you belong?"
"Mmm…"
Even under Cao Zhang's second round of questions, he remained as mute as a man who'd swallowed honey.
Cao Zhang then gathered testimony from those nearby and confirmed that Cao Wei had ordered his servants to threaten people first.
"Why can you answer nothing? Your office and affiliation are both unclear. On top of that, you go about intimidating people. I believe a more thorough investigation is in order."
"I am no suspicious person! I carry a letter and treasures from the King of Wu, I tell you!"
"If you have been corresponding with His Majesty the King of Wu, does that mean this involves diplomacy between our two states? In that case, is there anyone among our Wei ministers who knows of this? Or did you at least report it to the government offices?"
"Th-that is… it has nothing to do with diplomacy…"
"How is it that you exchanged letters without the court knowing a thing? And that you carry such a precious letter about so carelessly? A matter of this gravity demands an even more detailed inquiry. Men — take him away. We will investigate thoroughly later."
At Cao Zhang's command the soldiers moved to haul Cao Wei off somewhere, but he still protested.
"Th-this is unjust! My precious treasure has been damaged, I say…!"
"If the investigation proves you truly wronged, I will personally compensate you then."
"No! I am a subject of Wei — why take the side of that foreigner? That one assaulted a citizen of our Wei!"
Cornered, Cao Wei pointed at me and tried to drag me into it. I bristled and started forward, but Cao Zhang stepped in front of me and spoke in my defense.
"This person is the General Who Pacifies the North of Shu, here on a mission of condolence. I can vouch for both her identity and her purpose. I also know she is not one to assault people without cause. But you? You have nothing that can vouch for your identity or purpose, do you? Men — take him away."
Even as the soldiers dragged him off, Cao Wei shrieked that he was being wronged — to no avail.
Tsk tsk. Keep that up and you'll end up executed. You should have just stayed quiet, like I told you.
"Honored envoys from Shu. There has been much disturbance. We will escort you to your lodgings. We shall see to your comfort — please follow me."
With that, Cao Zhang led us to our quarters.
Clop, clop.
I was riding now with Cao Zhang, our horses side by side, while Fei Yi, Yu Eun, and the rest of our party followed behind.
"…"
He treated us with every courtesy, yet there was something haggard about him — the mark, perhaps, of having just lost his father.
The atmosphere, though, was a little awkward. I was genuinely grateful that he had dealt with Cao Wei for us, but we had fought each other so fiercely in the Hanzhong campaign, and only recently had locked eyes across a truce negotiation table. Awkwardness was only natural.
And the thought that we might meet again on a battlefield someday and try to kill each other all over again made it stranger still.
"Ah — do you often come out in person to receive envoys like this?"
I was the one who broke the silence.
Cao Zhang was a prince of the realm. Receiving envoys was an important duty, yes, but not one that typically fell to him. What on earth was Cao Pi thinking?
"My elder brother is now king of the nation. I am but a subject — when an order comes down, I simply obey."
This man has it hard too, with Cao Pi for an older brother. Did Cao Pi arrange for the two of us to meet, hoping we'd quarrel? We're here as envoys — if we fought, both our reputations would take a hit.
Petty as that sounds, if the one behind it is Cao Pi, I wouldn't put it past him.
Following Cao Zhang's lead, we reached Xuchang before long.
"Incidentally, this is your first time in Xuchang, is it not? What is your impression?"
"Yes. It is large, and well ordered. Truly a beautiful place, befitting the capital of Wei."
I wasn't merely being polite. Xuchang was vast and imposing, as a great city and the capital of Wei ought to be, and I found myself quietly marveling as I looked around.
The great cities I had visited so far were places like Jiangling, Xiangyang, and Chengdu — but Xuchang, a metropolis of the Central Plains, had a distinctly different character, and it brimmed with vitality.
Wei had been forced to withdraw from us more than once of late, yet the deep reserves of this still-mighty state were plain enough to feel.
"We have arrived. These are the lodgings prepared for you. A meal will be served shortly — please rest at your ease."
"Thank you once again for your thoughtful consideration."
Having guided us to our quarters, Cao Zhang took his leave and departed.
"So that was Cao Zhang — the one who fought you in Hanzhong, General. He was so fierce then, yet seeing him like this feels completely different."
Yu Eun, standing beside me, spoke up. He had watched me clash with Cao Zhang more than once, and seemed a little puzzled himself. The hot-blooded young warrior of before was gone; what stood before us now felt more like a composed high official.
"A man who is always faithful to whatever duty is his, I suppose. I was a little surprised too — the atmosphere is so different from when I first met him. I thought he might still hold a grudge after I wounded him that one time."
"Yes. Honestly, he carries himself with real dignity. Still, if we meet again on the battlefield, he'll be a terrifying enemy once more."
"Agreed."
We entered the lodgings, unpacked, and shook off our fatigue. After finishing the evening meal Wei had prepared, word came that Cao Zhang wished to speak with me, so I stepped outside for a moment.
Yu Eun and Zheng Sui moved to follow as escorts, but I told them it was fine and went out alone.
Outside, Cao Zhang was alone as well.
"Forgive me for calling you out so inconveniently."
"Not at all. Please don't concern yourself. What is this about?"
"It concerns the Cao Wei we detained earlier."
His account ran as follows.
"As we investigated, many points about him proved dubious. The business with Sun Quan, the diplomacy, and so on — we will dig deeper still, but it seems he is indeed a swindler."
"Yes. Even when we first met him, he reeked of a confidence man."
Sun Quan had been taken in badly enough to send treasures — there were surely others he had fleeced besides the King of Wu.
"In any case, we will handle this matter entirely on our end. I came to tell you not to trouble yourself over it."
"Thank you. You've gone to a great deal of trouble."
"Yes. And also…"
Cao Zhang started to say something more, then faltered. He had more to say, but was hesitating.
"It seems you have something further to tell me."
"…"
"If it is difficult to speak of, you need not force yourself."
"Haa…"
Cao Zhang let out a breath, then opened his mouth.
"…You may find this strange, but I think it better to tell you. The truth is… it concerns my elder brother."
Elder brother — Cao Pi?
"You mean His Majesty the King of Wei?"
"Yes. That is correct."
Why bring up Cao Pi all of a sudden?
"Even should my brother treat you with discourtesy, General, I ask that you not be startled or take it too much to heart. That is what I came to say."
"Pardon? Why would His Majesty the King of Wei treat me that way?"
Cao Pi was known for his psychopathic acts, but would he really go out of his way to mistreat me? We have no personal grudge.
"Do you, by chance, recall the Battle of Mount Bei among the events of the Hanzhong campaign?"
"Yes. I remember it."
The Battle of Mount Bei.
Huang Zhong set fire to the granaries on Mount Bei, then came and pulled Zhao Yun and me out. It was one of the battles that decided the course of the war. But was Cao Pi even there?
"Then do you, by chance, remember the commander with whom you exchanged arrows at that time?"
"Pardon? Ah…"
Now I remembered.
As we were breaking out with Huang Zhong, a cavalry unit had approached our flank. At its head, a mysterious black silhouette.
Instead of striking our side, he had ridden parallel to us and briefly traded sniping shots with me.
I had ended it by putting an arrow through his bow. There had been so many battles that I had forgotten — but that had been Cao Pi.
So I did make an enemy of him after all.
"Yes… I remember."
"I do not claim to fully grasp my brother's inner thoughts, but I was concerned enough to speak. In any case, should anything occur, I hope you will not be too shocked. Frankly, even saying this much is embarrassing…"
"But why tell me this at all?"
He was under no obligation to warn a general of an enemy state.
"You have all come a long way to offer condolences for our late father. I worried that some discourtesy might be shown to you."
"Whatever happens, I will manage it. Please don't worry on that account. Thank you for the advance notice."
"Very well. I shall take my leave. The memorial rites are scheduled for tomorrow — I will come to escort you then."
He bowed and turned away.
Worrying in advance might be oversensitivity — but Cao Zhang wouldn't say something like that for no reason.
Cao Pi's psychopathic streak is famous even in modern times.
In his youth, he tried to have his uncle Cao Hong killed simply because the man wouldn't lend him money.
Or the time he had a humiliating mural painted that drove Yu Jin to die of rage and shame.
And yet Cao Zhang, who suffered far worse at his hands, remains this composed. The difference in their character is considerable.
Whether Cao Pi will do something or not, I don't know. But if he means to try — let him.