Finally, A Mission
It was before Cao Xiu had woken up from the passionate night he’d spent the day before.
Huayan, who had woken first, carefully lifted the blanket and rose from the bed.
She wiped away the blood that had stained the sheets and the area below her navel, now turned a dark black, and examined it with her hand.
“…”
Still completely naked, she bowed deeply toward Cao Xiu, who was sleeping soundly, then dressed herself and quietly left the room.
Inside the mansion, the wild banquet from the previous day had already been swiftly cleaned up.
“My lady. This is Huayan.”
“Enter.”
Huayan entered Wei Hong’s office, gently rubbing her still-aching lower abdomen, and gave her report.
“Yes, you spent your first night with him?”
“That is correct.”
“And did Lord Cao Xiu seem satisfied?”
“He… took me several times last night.”
“Hohoho, it seems the young lord has taken quite a liking to you.”
After listening to Huayan’s report, Wei Hong picked up one of the gold ingots she had been weighing on the scale and held it out to her.
“Merchants from the Ba-Shu region will arrive in a few days. If there is anything you need, feel free to purchase it with this.”
“Thank you, my lady.”
“Also, from now on, you are to serve only Lord Cao Xiu. When he is not present, you must not attend to anyone else.”
“I understand.”
This was Wei Hong’s command that she was now to become a woman who belonged solely to Cao Xiu.
“Your body must be exhausted and in pain. Go rest at once.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Huayan bowed respectfully to Wei Hong.
Wei Hong glanced at the scale once more, then took out another gold ingot and placed it on the other side.
“Cao Xiu.”
She then set down a metal plaque engraved with Cao Xiu’s name on the opposite side, balancing the scale.
“A man is still a man… From now on, I suppose I can learn about that young lord through Huayan.”
With a faint smile, Wei Hong decided to keep a closer eye on the new Cao clan warrior who had appeared in the Yan Province region.
“Mmm…”
I woke up after an intense night.
When I looked around, the woman from yesterday was gone. I was alone in the bed.
“Well, damn…”
I lifted the blanket and got up. I was completely naked, and my clothes were neatly folded beside the lantern. A small amount of blood stained the white sheets.
“…I really went at it like an animal.”
I dressed first, then stepped outside.
Wei Hong’s mansion had transformed from the pleasure house of yesterday into a bustling trading post filled with merchants and craftsmen moving about busily.
“My lord, you’re awake?”
“What time is it?”
“The second rooster has crowed, sir.”
If I left now, I wouldn’t be too late.
“My lord, shall we prepare breakfast here?”
“No, I need to return home immediately.”
“Understood. We will prepare a carriage at once.”
They followed Wei Hong’s orders and escorted me safely all the way back to Cao Cao’s residence in a carriage.
“Young master, you’ve returned?”
The servants, including those who had risen early at dawn, greeted me and guided me into the inner courtyard.
My head was still spinning from yesterday’s wild banquet and fiery night, but I had managed to return before breakfast.
I quietly entered my room, intending to freshen up a bit, but the women of the Cao household were already up and about.
“Who approaches?”
That graceful voice belonged to Lady Ding.
“Ah, Aunt. It is I, Xiu.”
“Cao Xiu? Ah, yes…”
I approached and bowed, but Lady Ding’s expression hardened and her brows furrowed.
It seemed she was quite displeased after hearing about yesterday’s banquet.
“Before you eat, go wash first. The scent of that courtesan clings to your entire body.”
“Ah, I apologize.”
“It’s fine. Once you’ve washed, I will have new clothes prepared for you. Change into those.”
Her tone was icy, yet Lady Ding still made sure to take care of me.
I went straight to the bathhouse early that morning and washed thoroughly. Soap was said to be extremely precious in this era, and indeed, I was given only a tiny amount of liquid soap—just enough for one person.
After washing, I joined the lively atmosphere for breakfast.
Of course, Cao Hong, Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and Xiahou Yuan—who had all enjoyed yesterday’s wild banquet—had come to Cao Cao’s house, filling the residence with boisterous energy.
Unlike yesterday, everyone now carried themselves with dignity.
“Krr— As expected, the mallow soup at Big Brother’s house is truly exceptional.”
Cao Ren, apparently suffering from a hangover, emptied three bowls of soup while praising the food. The maids hurried over to keep refilling his dishes.
Cao Cao laughed as he ate, then casually pointed his chopsticks at me.
“Wenlie.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“From today onward, once the meal is finished, you will follow me.”
“Pardon?”
“What, do you want to stay home and play instead?”
“Ah, no, sir. I will prepare at once.”
Finally, I had been given a task.
Cao Cao was already planning to put me to work!
I hurriedly finished my meal, cleared my bowl, rinsed my mouth, and waited.
When Cao Cao called, I immediately followed him out.
Cao Cao left the house and showed me various places throughout Yan Province.
The first place we visited was the military camp.
Thousands of soldiers were training, their vigorous shouts echoing through the air. Cao Hong and Cao Ren were overseeing the drills.
It was a completely different sight from the men who had been mesmerized by the barefoot dance of the courtesans the night before. Now they looked like strict, disciplined military officers.
“When I first raised an army with the family fortune and Wei Zi’s support, I started with five thousand private troops. Now we have grown to this.”
“It is an impressive force. The soldiers’ discipline appears very strict as well.”
“If that’s how it looks, then Zaili (Cao Hong) and Zixiao (Cao Ren) must have trained them well.”
Cao Cao was more relaxed than I had expected.
He took his nephew—me—around Yan Province, showing me the military camps, the garrison responsible for public security, the workshops that produced weapons, and explained everything in detail. Everywhere we went, everyone stopped what they were doing the moment Cao Cao appeared and bowed their heads.
At the very least, Cao Cao’s influence in Yan Province seemed absolute.
“Until your official position is decided, you will stand guard beside me whenever I conduct official business.”
“Understood, Uncle.”
From now on, I would accompany Cao Cao and serve as his bodyguard.
Well, Cao Cao’s own martial prowess was undoubtedly tremendous, but he had still created a position for me. That was something to be grateful for.
In that way, I toured all the major facilities in Yan Province. Whenever Cao Cao was handling official documents, I waited quietly outside.
Before long, when a full-scale strategy meeting began, I stood beside Cao Cao and participated.
“My lord, what Tao Qian has done this time is clearly a provocation. We must strike Xu Province at once.”
“Indeed. If anything were to happen to the Grand Tutor, it would not be enough even if we wiped out everything in Xu Province.”
The strategy meeting was incredibly brutal.
Both the hardliners and moderates had united under the single opinion that Xu Province must be attacked.
Cao Cao, too, looked deeply displeased as he spoke to his subordinates.
“Those thieves in Xu Province stole our family’s wealth and even threatened my father’s life. Is there any justification more necessary than this?”
“There is none, my lord!”
“March straight into Xu Province, surround Xiapi, and burn everything—every last member of the Tao clan, every dog, every chicken in the province. Leave nothing alive.”
Those shouting in particular fury were members of the Cao clan like Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun.
Although they had lost their wealth, the Cao Song family had safely escaped and was now staying in Yan Province.
But at this rate, the ‘Xu Province Massacre’ could very well happen exactly as recorded in history.
That was something I absolutely had to prevent. I hadn’t come here just to watch a slaughter unfold.
“It’s only natural to crush the Tao clan, but pointless slaughter like a massacre is unacceptable…”
“What did you say?”
“Ah, it’s nothing, Minister of Works.”
I had muttered to myself without thinking, but Cao Cao, who was sitting right beside me, heard it clearly.
In an instant, every relative and vassal under Cao Cao’s command turned their gazes on me. The pressure was overwhelming.
“Young Master Cao, this is a military council. Personal remarks are not permitted.”
A civil official with a strict, serious, and solemn demeanor shouted at me. Even while seated, he was a full head taller than the other generals. He sat perfectly upright with a long beard.
His name was Cheng Yu, courtesy name Zhongde. He served as a military strategist under Cao Cao.
“Therefore, hold your tongue.”
“Ah, I misspoke.”
Cheng Yu was an extremely upright man. If I said the wrong thing in this situation, I would definitely be marked.
But at that moment, another person stepped forward.
“Is that so? I’m not sure we should dismiss it as mere personal opinion. Isn’t this the very person who witnessed the tragedy in Xu Province with his own eyes, resolved half of it, and returned?”
“Wenruo, what kind of sophistry is this?”
The handsome young civil official defending me was Xun Yu.
Xun Yu was currently Cao Cao’s chief administrative advisor, and it was he who had recommended Cheng Yu to Cao Cao.
“Rather than hearing the same arguments a hundred times, it may be better to listen to the opinion of someone who has seen the situation firsthand. Is that not why my lord invited Young Master Cao to this meeting?”
“Hmm.”
Xun Yu not only defended me but also skillfully flattered Cao Cao at the same time.
When Cao Cao snapped his fingers twice, the door opened from outside.
“My lord, you called?”
“Go fetch another cushion.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Cao Cao ordered a servant to bring another cushion, then removed the one he was sitting on and handed it to me.
“Sit.”
“Uncle, isn’t this a military council?”
“Exactly. So sit down and speak.”
Cao Cao had taken Xun Yu’s side over Cheng Yu’s and granted me the right to speak.
As soon as I received Cao Cao’s cushion and sat down, every general and strategist in the room turned their eyes on me.
Under their overwhelming gazes, I took a long breath and spoke my thoughts.
“As someone who barely survived the theft committed by the bandits of Xu Province, I fully support the invasion of Xu Province. However, that support is limited strictly to the destruction of the Tao clan alone.”
“What do you mean?”
“We must reclaim the hundred carts’ worth of goods that were stolen from us in Xu Province. I believe we should recover that value using manpower.”
“Manpower?”
“Even if we invade Xu Province now, do you think Tao Qian will willingly return over a hundred carts of gold, silver, and treasure? Instead, we should capture an equivalent number of Xu Province civilians, relocate them to Yan Province, and put them to forced labor. Until they have repaid the value of those hundred carts in grain and silk production.”
“What kind of…”
Along with Cheng Yu’s words, mocking laughter broke out from various places.
But when Cao Cao raised his hand with a serious expression, the laughter vanished in an instant and the room grew cold.
This was the true weight of Cao Cao’s presence…
“Continue.”
“Forcing the civilians of Xu Province to relocate to Yan Province may sound absurd. But if you wish to achieve great things, my lord, this is a necessary step.”
“Why?”
I spoke while drawing on the knowledge of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms I had read in my previous life, along with the current state of the world.
“Because the heart of the Central Plains is currently empty.”
“Empty?”
“Yes. The Sili region—the very center of the Han Dynasty—produced countless refugees due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Then the traitor Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang to the ground, plundered the wealth of its people, slaughtered them all, and fled to Chang’an.”
“Oh? You understand the greater trends of the Central Plains quite well. Keep going.”
“Therefore, if our forces in Yan Province wish to gain the upper hand among the various warlords, we must at least match the abundant production levels of Jizhou or Youzhou in the north.”
“And you propose to increase Yan Province’s output by using the labor force from Xu Province?”
“Exactly.”
“Ha… Hahahahaha!”
Cao Cao burst into hearty laughter and pointed at Xun Yu.
“Xun Yu, until just moments ago, I was planning to march into Xu Province, behead every member of the Tao clan, and send everything living there to the afterlife as Tao Qian’s companions.”
That was exactly the kind of thing Cao Cao would do.
“But instead of meaningless slaughter, we put them to labor… This idea seems quite promising. If done well, Yan Province’s cultivated land could more than double.”
“My lord, if that is your decision, we will simply follow it.”
Xun Yu seemed ready to comply, but Cheng Yu was different.
“My lord, this is impossible. Even if we forcibly relocate hundreds of thousands of people, they will not obey quietly. And even if we force them into labor, do we have the food, clothing, and shelter necessary to sustain them?”
Cheng Yu urgently tried to dissuade Cao Cao from accepting my proposal.
“Then what is your opinion, Zhongde?”
“Attack Xu Province, immediately seize the cities, and simply requisition supplies from the land of Xu Province itself.”
“And if those who have been stripped bare start getting dangerous ideas?”
It seemed Cao Cao had already made up his mind.
“Xun Yu, look into the feasibility of this plan. Something just sparked in my head.”
At my words, Cao Cao had impulsively changed his entire strategy for the invasion of Xu Province.
And one thing was certain.
In this timeline, there would be no ‘Xu Province Massacre.’
Instead, the ‘Forced Mass Relocation of Xu Province’s Population’ would be recorded in history… But at least he wouldn’t order the one-sided slaughter of living people gathered in one place.