The Tiger Hunt in Xuzhou
The situation was clear enough.
The current terrain looked roughly like this.
(Blue—Cao Cao, Green—Liu Bei, Purple—Lü Bu)
Though Liu Bei had been appointed Governor of Yuzhou, the province was firmly under Cao Cao’s control, centered on Xudu. Liu Bei’s own forces were concentrated in Xuzhou, where he resided in Xiaopei.
Lü Bu’s territory lay between Yanzhou and Xuzhou, with Mount Tai blocking the direct route. The fastest path to Liu Bei’s Xiaopei was through that pass.
In the past, when I had to flee Xuzhou with Cao Song’s party, I had taken the mountain road over Mount Tai and barely reached Puyang.
Unlike the original history, Lü Bu had also swallowed up the Huaiyin region—once Yuan Shu’s domain—which controlled the upper reaches of the Huai River and its vital trade routes.
There was only one answer.
To strike at Lü Bu, we first had to cross Liu Bei’s Xiaopei. That meant using Liu Bei.
But the moment we tried, would Liu Bei remain loyal to Cao Cao’s army?
I could already see him following the “original history.”
“Zayul, is the problem too difficult? I asked how we could lure Lü Bu out to fight.”
Still, I had to answer.
All I could do was combine the ending from the original history, the current situation, and the variables I had changed to form a response.
“Uncle, I will speak.”
“Good. Let me hear it.”
“Lü Bu was officially appointed Governor of Xuzhou by the court, and his arrogance now reaches the heavens.”
“True.”
“When the traitor Yuan Shu declared himself emperor and proposed a marriage alliance between his son and Lü Bu’s daughter, Lü Bu refused and sided with the court.”
“Correct. Though he attached conditions.”
Lü Bu’s conditions… that was the key.
“Uncle, what conditions did Lü Bu demand from the court this time?”
“He asked for one of the Four Generals and the Gajolwol.”
The Four Generals ranked above the Grand General, Biaoji Zhangjun, Chariot and Cavalry General, and Wei General. Lü Bu wanted one of the Front, Rear, Left, or Right Generals, plus the Gajolwol—the authority to execute subordinates without prior approval.
“Grant him that, but issue an imperial edict demanding he send a massive amount of tax revenue from Xuzhou—especially military grain—to the court.”
“Hmm. So first, we drain every last grain of rice stored in Xuzhou?”
“If he refuses, tell him there will be no Left General or Gajolwol.”
“And if he agrees?”
“Appoint him Left General and order him to hand the governorship of Xuzhou to Imperial Uncle Liu Bei in Xiaopei and come to the capital.”
“Oh?”
“If Lü Bu does not believe it and marches his army all the way to the capital, he will be walking the exact same path as my third father.”
That was exactly what Dong Zhuo had done.
When the court summoned generals to eliminate the Ten Eunuchs, Dong Zhuo brought his own troops straight to Luoyang—armed and ready to demonstrate his power.
If Lü Bu did the same? There would be no question. His forces would become a target for everyone, just like Yuan Shu’s.
“So you offer him what he wants, but tell him to abandon his base in Xuzhou and come to Xudu to receive the rank and the Gajolwol?”
“Exactly. Lü Bu will never agree. However…”
“However?”
“Just as we must pass through Xiaopei to attack Xuzhou, if Lü Bu rebels and marches on the capital, he will also pass through Xiaopei. We will be forced to use Imperial Uncle Liu Bei—my sworn master—as bait.”
I often called Guan Yu “uncle” on the battlefield in half-jest, and he accepted it, but Liu Bei was impossible to read.
Whether to approach him as a close uncle, as the Imperial Uncle, or simply by his official title was always difficult.
At that moment, Guo Jia spoke up.
“Not bad. That greedy boar Lü Bu will fly into a rage and charge straight here the moment he hears it.”
“Won’t Chen Gong try to stop him?”
“Chen Gong will tell him to obey the court’s will and go. Lü Bu will never accept that.”
Guo Jia threw an arm around my shoulder.
“As expected of Lord Zayul—brilliant in both civil and military affairs. Though you do seem a little too soft-hearted. Worried about using Imperial Uncle Liu Bei as bait…”
“Now, now, Guo Jia. I’m not exactly thrilled about using Xuande as bait either.”
“Hmm. Is that so? Unlike Lü Bu, you think Liu Bei can be trusted with the Gajolwol and the Left General?”
This depended entirely on Cao Cao’s reaction.
“Xuande is far more reliable than Lü Bu.”
“Well, we’ll leave it at that. Still, the matter of the Gajolwol and the successor to the Left General must be discussed again after Lü Bu is defeated.”
“Agreed. We will do so.”
Cao Cao answered, but Guo Jia had also learned much from dealing with Liu Bei.
Liu Bei would accept being recommended by others, but he would never remain beneath someone else.
Yet Cao Cao still believed that if he received the Mandate of Heaven, men like Liu Bei would recommend him. The mismatch was glaring.
“So, what do you think of my plan, Uncle?”
“Hmm. Even to me, luring Lü Bu with rank or provoking him into rebellion by withholding it seems like the right approach.”
Cao Cao patted my shoulder and nodded.
“I will begin preparations at once.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“Now then, everyone raise your cups. Shall we drink once more?”
Cao Cao confirmed the plan to subjugate Lü Bu and filled his cup to the brim.
***
“Xiahou Dun, Governor of Chenliu—receive the imperial edict.”
Xiahou Dun knelt before the throne, awaiting the command.
“We appoint Xiahou Dun, who has performed great deeds both as governor and within the court, as General of the Resolute Martial and Deputy Censor.”
“Your Majesty, this grace is overwhelming.”
Cao Cao drew his sword.
Even among his own kin, he could now promote a general and grant the post of Deputy Censor.
The Deputy Censor was an imperial post with the authority to inspect and supervise local officials.
In name, it held immense power—able to audit the governors, commandery administrators, and county magistrates of the Han’s thirteen provinces.
But this was the late Eastern Han.
The imperial authority had already collapsed after Emperor Ling’s reign. If the current emperor tried to send a Deputy Censor without Cao Cao’s backing, the man would vanish without a trace the moment he reached Xuzhou, Jizhou, or Jingzhou.
After Cao Cao enthroned the emperor and seized real power, he appointed Xiahou Dun as Deputy Censor.
From now on, Cao Cao’s strength would allow them to shake up local governors, and Xiahou Dun would handle it.
“Furthermore, we order Military Colonel Cao Xiu to assist the Deputy Censor in his duties.”
“Your Majesty, this grace is overwhelming.”
Xiahou Dun had been made Deputy Censor, and I was to assist him… Cao Cao wanted us to move together.
I had gained yet another concurrent post.
When the court meeting ended, preparations began immediately.
“Our first inspection will begin in Chu County.”
“Isn’t that where Uncle Zihua resides?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And where the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry is being trained… Ah!”
Chu County lay on the border between Yanzhou and Xuzhou.
It was also the perfect place to enter Xuzhou through Xiaopei at any time.
In the end, Cao Cao was positioning troops in Chu County under the pretext of inspection, ready to strike Lü Bu whenever the moment came.
“Since it’s settled, go home and tell them. Chu County has plenty of places to stay.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
I returned home and explained the situation.
Learning I would head to the front again, Cai Yan silently prepared extra clothes and socks.
On the other side…
“Please take me with you.”
“What?”
“I feel uneasy staying here without you, my lord.”
“What are you saying? This is your home now. This is where you—as my wife—belong.”
“I believe my place is by your side, my lord.”
How was I supposed to take this?
“If you want to spend every night like that… mmph!”
Just as I wondered what to do with this utterly shameless former princess, Cai Yan smiled and spoke.
“Why not speak to Uncle Xiahou and have her accompany you?”
“My lady, are you joking?”
“The place you are inspecting is Chu County. Isn’t that your family’s stronghold, where your mother also resides?”
“Even so…”
“Please take me~ Once we reach Chu County, I’ll stay quiet after that~”
Yuan Jing clung to my neck, whining.
What was I supposed to do with her?
***
“Thank you for granting such an unreasonable request, Uncle.”
Xiahou Dun accepted the absurd request without hesitation.
“Think nothing of it. Many generals bring their concubines to the battlefield. Aman did so from time to time.”
“Uncle did?”
“That emperor… the one who restored the Han after it once fell…”
“Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han.”
“Ah, yes—Guangwu! When that Guangwu went on campaign, he always took his wife… what was her name… Yin… Yin… Yin something…”
“…Yin Lihua.”
“Right. That Yin Lihua. Whenever Guangwu went to war, he brought the empress along and even shared his tent with her.”
Such stories existed, though they were from long ago.
Anyway, Xiahou Dun brushed it off, saying there was nothing unusual about bringing a concubine to the front.
“I will introduce her to Mother as a second wife and have her stay there. Once Lü Bu is defeated, I’ll bring her straight home and make sure this never happens again.”
“Ah, it’s fine, I tell you. Having one’s wife at the front is a great comfort to the heart.”
“This will be the only exception.”
After speaking with Xiahou Dun, we arrived in Chu County without incident.
After receiving Cao Shun’s warm welcome, I went to pay my respects to Mother.
She was surprised at first, but after I told her about my promotion to Military Colonel and everything that had happened, she welcomed my second wife as well and gladly allowed her to stay.
Finally able to breathe, I went to find Cao Shun and Xiahou Dun.
“This is Aman’s order. He has already summoned Inspector Chen Deng from Xuzhou and revealed the court’s intentions. The moment Chen Deng arrives, Lü Bu will move.”
“Hmm. Then we simply gather our troops when Lü Bu moves?”
Xiahou Dun nodded at Cao Shun’s words.
“On the surface, we are here for inspection, so keep the documents ready. Though I doubt you’ve done anything suspicious, Zihua.”
“That would be simple enough.”
At that moment, I had to ask something.
Since we had positioned troops under the pretext of inspection, when exactly would we strike Lü Bu?
“We will attack Lü Bu’s forces, but only if Xiaopei falls and Liu Bei’s army is forced to retreat all the way to Yanzhou.”
“What?”
What kind of order was that?
Liu Bei was in Xiaopei. If we were going to act, shouldn’t we help when Lü Bu’s army surrounded Xiaopei?
Honestly, even that already felt like using the Three Brothers as bait, and I had said as much.
But Cao Cao was openly saying, “Only help if Liu Bei’s army is destroyed and fleeing”? What was the point? It would only raise the enemy’s morale and make the attack harder!
“Uncle Xiahou, that cannot be right. We came to strike Lü Bu and seize Xuzhou. Are we really supposed to stand by and watch as the enemy takes Xiaopei, then only attack after they occupy it?”
“It is Aman’s command. I must obey it.”
“Uncle Xiahou, wouldn’t it be better to drive Lü Bu’s army out of Xiaopei and then occupy the city under Uncle’s authority?”
“Now, Zayul. I know you are capable, but this is Aman—no, Chancellor Cao Cao’s order. We must follow it without question.”
“Indeed, Zayul. If Lord Mengde has spoken, we must obey.”
I understood it was Cao Cao’s order. But why? Why do it this way?
Xiahou Dun looked at me and added one more thing.
“If you waver, he told me to say this.”
“What is it?”
“It is not about Liu Bei’s army or Xiaopei. As long as the three who taught you martial arts—Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei—survive, the rest does not matter.”
“!!!”
“That is all I have to say.”
So that was it…