Becoming Someone to Watch
Cao Hong rose from his seat and fired a direct question at Cao Cao.
“Brother Mengde, does this mean you intend to halt the invasion of Xu Province after listening to that boy?”
Cao Cao answered with a relaxed expression.
“Who said anything about stopping the invasion of Xu Province? I have ordered Xun Yu to evaluate the feasibility of what this child suggested. If he produces a workable plan, we will strike at once.”
“In the end, you’re simply postponing the invasion. If we drag this out any longer, those Xu Province bandits could convert every last family asset into military funds and turn their spears against us!”
“It is only a delay of a few days. It will not disturb the greater situation, so use the time to conduct additional military training and make certain the blades are properly sharpened.”
“...Understood.”
Once Cao Cao replied, Cao Hong had no choice but to accept it.
The meeting had not even been declared over when Xiahou Dun stood first. The conclusion had been reached; he had nothing more to hear.
“Brother Yuan, that temper of yours...”
“Enough. The meeting ends here, so all of you may withdraw.”
At Cao Cao’s command, Xiahou Yuan quietly rose as well and followed the departing Xiahou Dun, hoping to calm him.
“We ought to strike Xu Province at once and settle it with swift, decisive action, yet he speaks of a grand relocation plan… As if those people would obediently follow us back to Yan Province…”
Cheng Yu grumbled as he left.
“My lord, we shall continue the soldiers’ training in the meantime.”
Since the invasion had been postponed, Cao Ren declared he would intensify the troops’ drills during the delay.
As they withdrew one by one, the last to rise was Xun Yu. The moment our eyes met, he offered a gentle smile and a slight nod.
Was it because I had stopped the massacre? I wanted to follow him and speak further.
“Munyeol, where are you going?”
“Ah, since Master Wenruo was leaving…”
“Ahem. Did I not tell you? You entered my service as my bodyguard. With me still here, where exactly do you think you are going?”
“My mistake, Uncle.”
I had tried to follow Xun Yu without thinking, hoping to continue the conversation, but Cao Cao’s words snapped me back to my senses. He remained until the end, muttering to himself, before finally rising.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
I followed Cao Cao out. As we were leaving the Yan Province government office, a group waited for us.
“Father~”
“Hmm?”
A child of seven or eight ran forward and threw himself into Cao Cao’s arms.
“Who could this be? Is it Pi?”
“I was waiting here for Father.”
That young boy was Cao Pi. With Cao Ang, Cao Cao’s eldest son, still alive, Cao Pi was currently the young second son. The knowledge that this seemingly innocent child would one day become the first emperor of Wei and the greatest destroyer of character the world had ever seen sent a chill down my spine.
A beautiful woman quietly held Cao Pi back.
“My lord, I came with him.”
“My lady, why did you wait without sending word?”
Seeing she was Cao Pi’s mother, this was Lady Bian, the second wife after Lady Ding.
She looked nothing like Lady Ding, who wore splendid ornaments and carried herself with overwhelming dignity. Of course, as Cao Cao’s wife her beauty was extraordinary, yet compared to Lady Ding her attire was modest. Her only accessories were a flower-adorned hairpin in her updo and a pair of earrings.
Whether it was her naturally frugal personality or because she deliberately dressed plainly to avoid offending the principal wife, Lady Ding, the simplicity of her appearance drew every eye naturally to her face alone.
“Father, today is the day.”
“Hmm?”
“Didn’t you promise me? If I listened well to Mother and behaved quietly, you would teach me the writings of the Hundred Schools of Thought.”
Cao Pi reminded his father of the promise, eyes sparkling. For one so young to speak of the Hundred Schools, it seemed Cao Cao drove his children’s education with considerable rigor.
“Ah, so I did. But I am sorry, my son. Your father has an urgent matter, so it must wait until later.”
“What? So today is impossible as well?”
Disappointment flooded Cao Pi’s face. Soon his eyes reddened and he began to sob.
“This is already the third time.”
“My lord, did you not make the promise directly with Pi today?”
“Something more important has come up. We will do it later.”
“Father… sob…”
“Do not cry. I will teach you next time.”
Cao Cao heartlessly turned away from his son and called for his horse.
“Munyeol!”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Thanks to what you said earlier, many thoughts have come to me. Therefore I intend to leave Chenliu and tour the surrounding areas of Yan Province.”
What? Because of me?
Not only had he postponed the Xu Province invasion plan, but now—breaking his promise to his son and leaving the city—he seemed to have been struck by some realization.
Cao Cao was an extremely emotional man. Even while making plans, if a good idea occurred to him he would act on impulse. He moved according to his own will, and once fixated on something his thoughts kept shifting. Serving him in the future would be demanding, but if I adapted, he was someone who would reveal many different sides.
We followed Cao Cao out of Chenliu and rode for some time before arriving at a remote village. Or more precisely, the traces of one.
“Whoa—whoa!”
When Cao Cao stopped, I pulled my reins and halted as well. Countless private houses showed signs of past habitation, yet now, untouched by human hands for a long time, they looked ready to collapse at the first heavy rain or strong wind.
“Uncle, what is this place?”
“It was once a place where refugees fleeing the chaos stayed.”
“They built a village outside the walls and lived here? From the size, it looks like roughly fifty households.”
Estimating three people per household—husband, wife, and one child—it seemed around one hundred and fifty people had once lived here.
“This is not the only one.”
“There are more villages like this?”
“Yes. Follow me.”
Cao Cao rode off again and I followed. Before long we reached another village, slightly larger, that appeared to have housed around two hundred people.
After that we rode to several more locations, and I saw numerous such villages throughout the Chenliu region of Yan Province. They were all empty now, but there were people who could fill them.
“The last place we will visit is in the mountains.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
Cao Cao changed direction naturally. The horse he rode was clever and carried its master up the mountain path without hesitation.
My own horse, however, flinched repeatedly on the gravel, hesitating several times. It was rather embarrassing for someone who had come as a bodyguard.
“Here.”
“Uncle, what is this place?”
We had arrived at a mountain fortress halfway up the slope. Like the others it was empty, yet it was different from every place we had seen before.
White bones protruded here and there from the ground. Arrows were lodged throughout the houses, scorch marks blackened the walls, and dark, clotted blood stained everything.
“What does it look like to you?”
“Could this be a bandit stronghold?”
“Correct. They made their living by plundering the refugee villages at the foot of the mountain. So I swept them all away. I buried every last one of them without leaving a single survivor.”
Though he spoke casually, the statement that he had annihilated the bandits and buried their bones beneath us was utterly terrifying.
“If we release the common people in the places we have seen so far, they should manage to survive on their own, no?”
“Ah… so the places Uncle has shown me…”
“Since I ordered you not to kill them, they went looking for places to live, did they not?”
It seemed Cao Cao had truly planned to wipe everyone out if he invaded Xu Province. Yet something in my words must have struck a chord. He had shown me the refugee villages and the bandit fortress around Yan Province and was now seriously considering incorporating the people of Xu Province through these very lands.
“Of course, this is only after Xun Yu confirms that the people of Xu Province can be absorbed. Hahaha—”
Cao Cao laughed loudly at the sight of the mountain fortress and turned back toward Chenliu in Yan Province. In the end, showing these places to me meant that after the occupation of Xu Province and the relocation of its people, he expected me—the one who had first suggested the idea—to handle the aftermath as well.
Once we reached Chenliu, my duty would end after I escorted Cao Cao safely home.
But Cao Cao showed no intention of returning.
“Well, since we have come this far, shall we stop by that place after so long?”
“Pardon?”
“The place you have visited before. It has been a while, and I feel like unwinding a little.”
The place he led us to was Wei Hong’s residence. The merchants and courtesans inside were thrown into a flurry the moment they learned that Cao Cao, master of Yan Province, had arrived.
“My lord, why have you come without sending word?”
“Hahaha, if the thought occurs to me, I simply come. Are you going to turn me away?”
“How could I? Please come inside at once.”
Cao Cao dismounted and, guided by Wei Hong, moved to enter.
“Munyeol.”
“Uncle, since I am responsible for your protection, I will wait here.”
“Oh, what an upright attitude. Then wait here a while.”
Cao Cao entered the banquet room under Wei Hong’s guidance.
They say a hero has a weakness for beautiful women, and Cao Mengde is especially so, yet…
Both Lady Ding and Lady Bian waiting for their husband at home were great beauties, and he had many other concubines besides. Yet here he was at Wei Hong’s residence again, seeking new women. Well, that was simply who Cao Cao was. I decided to wait patiently.
“Ah, Lord Cao.”
Huayan, who was inside the residence, spotted me and approached with a quiet greeting. After that fiery night we were meeting again, and my face grew hot for no reason.
“Have you been well?”
“Uh, um…”
Huayan had become my exclusive attendant and no longer served anyone else.
“What are you doing here?”
“I no longer display dance or smiles before others. I now assist with the merchant group’s affairs under the head manager.”
“Ah, a change in role.”
It was then.
Creak—
“What, that woman acted so arrogantly, and her man is this fellow?”
A plump, drunk man staggered out, pointed at me and Huayan, and snickered.
“Well, you two do make a fitting pair.”
Average height, obese build, yet his beard was thin and he did not appear very old.
“My lord, did I not tell you? This child now serves only one master. Therefore I will recommend another courtesan besides Yan.”
“Ah, it’s fine. I enjoy wine but I do not particularly crave women. I was merely joking.”
He staggered toward me, wine bottle in hand. After studying me carefully he gave a soft chuckle. Reeking of alcohol, what exactly was he trying to say?
“I wondered who it was, but it is the young master of that clan our lord has taken in.”
“Yes. I am currently serving as his lord’s bodyguard. May I ask who you are?”
“Me? I am simply a man called ‘Scholar Xi’ of Yan Province.”
Scholar Xi of Yan Province?
If it was him, then perhaps Xi Zhicai?
“Are you Master Xi Zhicai?”
“You guessed correctly.”
While Cao Cao unwound inside, I waited in the garden and encountered Xi Zhicai.