The Ruler of Runan
I made ready to set out with Cao Ang.
“Dressing in fresh clothes for the battlefield? And without even wearing armor?”
“Clothes are a matter of courtesy when you meet someone for the first time.”
All I needed was a new robe and a single sword at my waist. I had no intention of fighting; I was going to make a proposal to Li Tong and bring Cao Ang along as a show of good faith.
“Still, you should at least wear proper armor.”
“Why me?”
“Because you need to look impressive. You have to show them that you are the son of the Minister of Works, Lord Cao Mengde.”
“Is that how it works?”
In the end I fitted Cao Ang with a fine new set of armor and prepared him to ride out with me.
“Zisu, Zilie. Are you two heading to Runan to negotiate with Li Tong?”
“Uncle Zixiao has given his permission, so we will definitely bring back good news.”
“Good. I trust you both. How many guards will you need?”
“A thousand elite cavalry will suffice. Of course, we do not intend to fight.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
At that moment Dian Wei stepped forward.
“I will go as well. Protecting the two young lords is my duty.”
“General Dian, then please come with us.”
“Thank you, Lord Zilie!”
And so we set out with Dian Wei, who had volunteered to guard Cao Ang and me, and Xu Chu, who offered to guide us to Li Tong’s location.
As we rode, I learned more about Li Tong from Xu Chu.
“Many heroes have risen in the Runan region, but Li Wenda defeated them all and seized the local government office for himself.”
“What if you and Wenda were to fight?”
“We agreed not to. We share the same ideals.”
That meant Li Tong was at least as skilled a warrior as Xu Chu. When Dian Wei snorted at those words, I suspected that even Li Tong would struggle if Dian Wei decided to step in. When we reached the government office in the Runan region, several thousand soldiers were stationed there, just as Xu Chu had described.
“Who goes there!”
“Halt! Where are you men from?”
Li Tong’s soldiers were different from any we had seen before. Unlike the Yellow Turban remnants or Xu Chu’s band of heroes, these men wore proper armor and carried standardized weapons. It looked as though they had absorbed the old Runan local army intact.
“Is Wenda inside? It is I, Xu Chu.”
“Ah, Lord Xu! What brings you here?”
“I have come with generals from the capital. Clear the way.”
“That cannot be done. What about the cavalry behind you? How can we allow such a force to meet the Grand Administrator?”
Even though we came from the Han capital of Xuchang, these men answered only to Li Tong. It was a stark reminder of how far the Han court’s authority had fallen.
A mere self-styled Grand Administrator dared to block generals who claimed to come from the capital?
“Interesting. So if only we go in, we may see Li Tong?”
“I will report it at once.”
When the officer went inside, Dian Wei gripped his twin iron halberds tightly.
“Lord Zilie, I could sweep them all away right now. Why are we wasting time?”
I shrugged at the still hot-blooded Dian Wei.
“We are not here to fight. We came only to speak with Li Tong.”
Xu Chu glanced at me and spoke in a low voice.
“From what I have seen of your martial skill, you appear to be a formidable expert alongside General Dian.”
“Uncle Zixiao is stronger than I am.”
I deliberately downplayed my ability, but Xu Chu continued to stare at me.
“General Dian.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Zisu and I will go inside. I ask you to take command of the cavalry while we are gone.”
“That is unacceptable. How can I wait outside? I will go with you.”
“If anything happens inside, you can lead the troops from here and destroy everything. I will shout if we need you.”
“But…”
“There is no need to worry.”
A short while later the officer returned and said only the key figures could enter. I went in with Cao Ang and Xu Chu, who was known as Li Tong’s friend.
“Lord Xu.”
“What is it?”
“They say real men become close after fighting. You have already decided to meet my uncle, the Minister of Works Cao Mengde, correct?”
“That is so.”
“Then there is no problem.”
At the very least, Xu Chu would not side with Li Tong and attack us. Matters like this required boldness; only then could the other side be moved.
When we entered the hall, it was filled with armed officers. This was clearly a show of force.
“Wenda!”
“Zhongkang… are these the two generals from the court you spoke of?”
The voice was low and heavy. His trained body was covered in scars from countless battlefields. Though his face still held the youth of his years, he wore a thick beard. His eyes gleamed with sharp light, and instead of a helmet he wore a simple headcloth.
The walls of the hall were covered with strange talismans drawn on paper, creating an eerie atmosphere.
“It seems the court has no talent left. Sending two beardless boys and calling them generals.”
Li Tong looked at Cao Ang and me, gave a short laugh, and raised his hand.
At once, his armed officers carrying spears and swords began to close in on us.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Cao Ang reached for his sword in alarm, and Xu Chu moved to protect him.
“Wenda, what are you doing? No matter what, how can you treat men sent by the court this way? Moreover, this young general is the son of the Minister of Works, Cao Mengde.”
“So Cao Cao’s army has finally reached this far? And one of them is Cao Cao’s son? This is perfect. We can use him as a hostage for negotiations.”
“Wenda!”
Li Tong ignored him and continued to encircle us. It was time for me to take charge of the discussion.
I gripped my sword and walked straight toward Li Tong. He remained seated leisurely on a tiger-skin rug.
The soldiers continued to press closer. In that hair-trigger moment I pointed at Li Tong and spoke.
“Enough with the games.”
“Games? Did you just call this a game?”
Dozens of sharpened blades were now aimed at me. Yet I still had not drawn my sword. I looked Li Tong squarely in the eye.
“Playing games with your only life is a dangerous thing. Do you really think this will break our momentum?”
“…”
“If you wish to continue this farce, we will have to cut down a few of your men before we talk again.”
“How amusing!”
The blades drew even closer. But Li Tong raised his hand once more and ordered the soldiers back. I had expected he would not actually attack us.
“I am Li Wenda of Runan. Who are you? A guard for Cao Cao’s son over there?”
“My name is Cao Xiu, courtesy name Zilie.”
“Cao Zilie, Cao Zisu… so the brothers came together.”
“Li Tong, enough small talk. Shall we get to the main issue?”
“Insolent brat. Calling an elder by name without respect? You have no manners at all.”
“Yet you yourself just casually spoke the name of my uncle, one of the Three Excellencies of the Han, did you not?”
“!?”
Li Tong looked as if he had been struck, then burst into loud laughter. These men always laughed when they felt awkward and wanted to show they were true heroes.
“Very well. It seems I cannot win a war of words. Why have you come here?”
“I hold the rank of Commandant of Cavalry by appointment of the court. The man beside me, Zisu, serves as an aide to the Grand Tutor. We have come to confirm whether you intend to remain loyal to the court.”
“Why should I? Give me three reasons.”
Only three? I could give thirty from where I stood. Still, I understood why Li Tong was acting this way.
He had never intended to fight us from the beginning. The soldiers earlier had simply been a display of power. He was showing the court that a local magnate like himself could command such a large army and still maintain the loyalty of his followers.
“First, the court has already dispatched twenty thousand troops to eliminate the remaining Yellow Turban forces in the Runan area. If you are neither a rebel nor a remnant of the Yellow Turbans, the time has come to prove your loyalty rather than fight the imperial army.”
“Amusing. Do you have more?”
“Second, Xu Zhongkang, who has already built a powerful force in Runan, has sworn loyalty to the court and will personally travel to Xuchang to have an audience with the Emperor. That leaves only you.”
Li Tong glanced at Xu Chu, who nodded to confirm the truth.
“So even you, Zhongkang, are abandoning the path of the wandering hero to become a regular soldier?”
“Third, from what I have heard, you, Li Tong, are from a powerful local clan. You have governed Runan without meaningless exploitation or massacre and have led the region well. Would it not be a hundred times better to report your achievements properly to the court and receive official appointment as Grand Administrator of Runan?”
“Mmm…”
It had worked. Li Tong looked back and forth between me, Xu Chu, and Cao Ang behind us. He scratched his head repeatedly, deep in thought. The murderous glint in his eyes softened somewhat as he asked me.
“Zilie, was it? Commandant of Cavalry?”
“Correct.”
“Can you and the son of the Minister of Works behind you negotiate with the Minister to have me officially appointed as Grand Administrator of Runan?”
“That will depend on how clearly you report the military achievements you have earned in Runan. The court will judge them and issue the appointment.”
Li Tong thought for a moment, then nodded. With Cao Ang’s help, we were able to settle the matter.
Thus, after the suppression of the Yellow Turban remnants and the surrender of several thousand of Xu Chu’s heroes to Xuchang, Li Tong also submitted a memorial detailing his military accomplishments.
“Hahaha, so… that fellow Li Tong listened to your words, wrote down all his military achievements in detail, and asked to be officially enfeoffed as Grand Administrator of Runan?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“What an interesting fellow. He is greedy for position, but he seems useful.”
“My lord, will you recommend Li Tong as the official Grand Administrator of Runan?”
At Xun Yu’s question, Cao Cao nodded.
“Guo Jia has been rolling around doing nothing lately, hasn’t he? Send Zisu to Runan once more. Together with Guo Jia.”
The fact that Guo Jia was being sent meant he would carry the seal of the Grand Administrator of Runan while also investigating the various factions in the region and determining exactly what kind of man Li Tong was.
“Zilie.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“When I ask you to do one thing, you bring back ten. Not only did you eliminate the Yellow Turban remnants, you even absorbed their forces. You have done very well.”
“It was nothing, Uncle.”
Cao Cao laughed heartily and clapped his hands twice. Servants then led a horse into the garden.
It was a magnificent animal with glossy white-gold fur, a thick flowing mane, and an elegant bearing.
“This is the foal of my prized steed Jeolyeong. It comes from the famous Ferghana stock, so it is only fitting that a thousand-li horse like you should ride it.”
Cao Cao had given me the offspring of one of his most cherished horses as a reward. These Da Wan horses, also called sweat-blood horses, were said to be worth their weight in gold. And now I had received one for free.
“What do you think? Would you like to try riding it?”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
I mounted the new horse, left Cao Cao’s residence, and gave it a full gallop. It was superior to any horse I had ridden before. I could tell its true worth would shine even brighter on the battlefield.
I found myself looking forward to the next campaign where I would be called upon.