Can We Really Meet? Liu Bei!
The Emperor learned of events beyond the palace solely through Cao Cao’s reports within the imperial palace in Xudu.
Beside the Emperor stood Grand Tutor Cao Song, his kindly face silently urging his son to deliver the report with a gentle smile.
“Minister of Works, continue with your report.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. A major rebellion has erupted in Chang’an—the very land where Your Majesty was once forcibly detained by the traitor Dong Zhuo.”
“A rebellion…!”
“Indeed, Your Majesty. The traitors Li Jue and Guo Si held Your Majesty captive while arrogantly claiming the titles of Grand Marshal and Grand General for themselves. After Your Majesty’s escape, they turned on each other and fell into internal strife.”
I listened quietly to the exchange.
Without the Emperor present, the warlords in Chang’an could bicker over titles like Grand General and Grand Marshal while commanding tens of thousands of private troops, but in the end they were nothing more than bandit coalitions.
“Furthermore, among the factions following Li Jue and Guo Si, Fan Chou was assassinated by Li Jue, and Zhang Ji was defeated and killed by Liu Biao of Jing Province after launching a surprise attack there. Chang’an has now become a battlefield of mutual slaughter among the traitors.”
“Th-then what should We do?”
What do you mean, what should you do, Your Majesty…
Prepare the battle-axe of command immediately and seize this chance to raise a punitive force against Chang’an to crush the traitors occupying the region.
It was pitiful, but the Emperor possessed zero political ability.
Of course, he had been nothing more than a child with no experience and no education in kingship when Dong Zhuo placed him on the throne. Even so, at this point shouldn’t he at least be able to issue basic commands to his ministers?
“Your Majesty, I believe this is the perfect opportunity to cross Hongnong and strike at the traitors Li Jue and Guo Si stationed in Chang’an.”
Cao Song discreetly conveyed the suggestion I had in mind to the Emperor.
The position of Grand Tutor was supposed to be the Emperor’s advisor, and it truly seemed to grant the authority to speak directly when the Emperor was this indecisive.
“V-very well. Minister of Works, organize the army and capture Chang’an.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Yet the court session did not end there.
Suddenly, one of Cao Cao’s messengers rushed into the imperial audience hall. He performed a formal bow before the Emperor, then immediately approached Cao Cao and whispered urgently in his ear.
No one dared call it disrespectful, and the Emperor actually leaned forward, straining to hear what the messenger was saying.
Cao Cao listened to the whispered report, then spoke aloud on the spot.
“Your Majesty, an internal conflict has also broken out in Xu Province.”
“I-internal conflict!”
“Originally, Inspector Tao Qian governed Xu Province. After his recent death, the Inspector’s seal has become the object of strife between General Lu Bu and Xia Pi Administrator Liu Bei.”
“That matter as well… We entrust it to you, Minister of Works.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
So Lu Bu and Liu Bei were finally clashing in earnest in Xu Province? This should be interesting.
I had already heard through Wei Hong’s intelligence network that Liu Bei and Lu Bu were fighting across Xu Province.
However, no matter how much popular support Liu Bei had won from the common people of Xu Province, Lu Bu had installed Tao Qian’s eldest son, Tao Shang, as a figurehead. As a result, the majority of the powerful local clans had sided with Lu Bu.
In the end, the decision on this matter would rest with Cao Cao’s judgment.
Uncle, you wouldn’t do something like raising your own enemy, would you…
“…It would be better to support Liu Xuande.”
“Uncle.”
“What? Are you saying we should support Lu Bu instead, since you once fought him?”
Cao Cao had spoken in jest, but the words still lingered uncomfortably.
“Uncle, is it truly necessary to take one side or the other?”
“What do you mean by that?”
At that moment, Guo Jia stepped forward.
“Young Master Ziye seems to be thinking that it would be best if our lord stayed out of it and let Liu Bei and Lu Bu destroy each other. I agree with that, by the way.”
I did want to meet a man like Liu Bei, but since I belonged to Cao Cao’s faction, thinking about the future made the prospect rather awkward.
Right now Cao Cao viewed Liu Bei as a comrade-in-arms from the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the campaign against Dong Zhuo, but in less than ten years that man would become the worst and most vicious rival Cao Cao had ever fostered.
“Fengxiao, Ziye. Enough of that nonsense.”
Despite the absolute trust I had earned from Cao Cao until now, he drew a firm line when it came to any mention of Liu Bei.
How could I possibly explain this? How could I convey Liu Bei’s danger to Cao Cao?
As I pondered that problem, Guo Jia spoke again.
“My lord, I too have heard stories about Liu Bei and his sworn brothers in Yu Province. He fought several major battles alongside you in the past, but ultimately parted ways because your ideals differed. Do you really think a man like that will come back under your wing? No. Liu Bei is not someone who belongs beneath another. He left you of his own accord.”
“Hearing everything through reports is one thing, but if you actually met Xuande in person, your opinion would change.”
“Haa~ Yes, well, we can confirm the results later. In the end, we’ll also see what happens if we support Liu Bei and he seizes Xu Province.”
Even in front of Cao Cao, Guo Jia waved his hands dismissively in a ‘if you’re not going to listen then just forget it’ manner and frowned.
Unlike Guo Jia’s irreverent attitude, Xun Yu had been listening quietly and now gave a small nod.
“Wenruo, what is your thoughts on this?”
“If our lord is determined to support Liu Bei over Lu Bu, then it would be best to issue an imperial edict appointing Liu Bei as the legitimate Inspector of Xu Province. That will create significant discontent among Lu Bu’s larger faction and likely trigger another major internal conflict between the two.”
Xun You added his own opinion to Xun Yu’s suggestion.
“In my estimation, the civil war in Xu Province will be settled in roughly six months.”
Cao Cao nodded at those words.
So Liu Bei would survive according to history after all. Then there was only one path forward.
Even if Liu Bei eventually broke away from Cao Cao and became his mortal enemy far in the future, I would step forward at that time, crush Liu Bei’s army, defeat Sun Quan’s forces in Jiangdong, and simply twist the original history while achieving the great enterprise of unifying the realm from within Cao Cao’s own army!
As I made that vow to myself, Cao Cao looked at the map and spoke.
“For the Chang’an front, I’ll send Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan to capture it. As for Xu Province… Ziye, you will go.”
Cao Cao had decided to deploy me into the Xu Province conflict.
“I will soon inform His Majesty and have you assigned to Qiao County. That location lies on the border between Yan Province and Xu Province, so you will be responsible for watching the front lines.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“If Lu Bu is defeated, you will have your chance for revenge there. If Liu Bei is defeated… well, you can clean up the situation and bring him back to Xudu.”
He was telling me to bring Liu Bei straight to Xudu if he offered surrender, without any argument.
Well, the wheel of the Three Kingdoms had turned this way, and it seemed Liu Bei was fated to live a little longer.
After all, if Liu Bei died now, could it even be called the Romance of the Three Kingdoms? It would simply be Cao Cao’s unchallenged path to heaven.
Since I was here, I was confident that Cao Cao would ultimately claim everything in the end. I decided to simply leave the rest to fate.
And so I received Cao Cao’s orders and was assigned to Qiao County.
Just as Xun You had predicted, the matter would likely be settled within six months. Moreover, unlike the original history, Tao Qian’s son had joined hands with Lu Bu, so it was obvious who would emerge victorious.
“Reporting!”
Some time had passed since I arrived in Qiao County.
A messenger came running urgently and reported to me and Cao Chun.
“One month ago, while Inspector of Xu Province Liu Bei was absent fighting Yuan Shu, the powerful clans of Xu Province rose up in revolt. They seized Liu Bei’s Inspector seal, presented it to General Lu Bu, and swore loyalty to him.”
“Is that true?”
“It is. Liu Bei’s forces hastily withdrew from their battle with Yuan Shu, but they have now lost all their foundations.”
So it had come to that after all.
No matter how much Liu Bei had won the hearts of the common people in Xu Province, once Tao Qian’s eldest son was involved and the local clans rose up, there was nothing he could do.
“Ziye, it turned out exactly as you predicted. In the end, Lu Bu has won the power struggle in Xu Province.”
“It was only something I said over drinks, but it came true. Then we must prepare now.”
I drew my spear from where it rested in the command tent.
Cao Chun nodded and rose from his seat as well.
“Ziye, I will give you five hundred of my own troops plus two thousand five hundred soldiers from Qiao County. If Liu Bei of Xu Province crosses into Yan Province, you will receive him.”
“Yes, Uncle Zihua.”
Cao Chun had essentially entrusted me with full authority.
Following his orders, I led the army and waited near Pei Kingdom—commonly called Xiao Pei—the strategic point that could become the border with Xu Province.
“We will establish camp here.”
I set up our forward position and decided to wait patiently.
Of course I continued sending constant reconnaissance toward Xu Province. The reports confirmed that Liu Bei, having lost his home, was wandering aimlessly throughout the region.
One day passed, then two, three, four, five.
“Commandant of Cavalry, a large group of people is moving from Xu Province.”
“Is that so? What is their scale?”
“Five thousand soldiers, and including the local clans and civilians, nearly twenty thousand in total.”
Xu Province had already been heavily drained of population by Cao Cao, yet Liu Bei had still managed to scrape together the remaining clans and commoners who followed him.
“All troops, hear my command! Strike the tents immediately and prepare for battle! We will soon encounter the main force from Xu Province!”
“Yes, Commandant of Cavalry!”
“Vice General Dian.”
“Yes, Commandant of Cavalry.”
“Take command of the infantry and prepare to receive those coming from Xu Province. However, do not make the first move until we meet the enemy’s commander.”
“Understood, Commandant of Cavalry.”
“Vice General Yi, let us take the cavalry and ride out to greet them. Twenty thousand people—including civilians—will be coming this way. It should be quite a spectacle.”
“Yes, Commandant of Cavalry.”
Having made every preparation, we stood ready to receive the hero of the age.
That night, a massive column approached our camp.
“Commandant of Cavalry, the main force from Xu Province is advancing.”
“I see them. I will go myself.”
I took up my spear, gathered a hundred direct cavalry, and galloped forward.
The people from Xu Province remained still, as if waiting for me.
As I drew closer, I saw three figures clearly illuminated by torches despite the late hour.
A man with the Buddha-like ears exactly as recorded in the histories, gripping the reins with unusually long arms.
Flanking him were two giants, each as tall and massive as Dian Wei. One wore a green robe and carried a crescent moon blade, his long beard flowing. The other, though shorter than the crescent-moon warrior, possessed an impressively broad frame and eyes that gleamed with the fierce light of a tiger.
“Who are you? I am Commandant of Cavalry Cao Ziye, defender of Qiao County in Yan Province!”
“Cao Ziye, Cao Ziye… I know that name as well.”
Hm?
The man on the other side greeted me with genuine warmth upon hearing my name.
“You are the one called Cao Ziye, nephew of Mengde, who led dozens of brave warriors into Chang’an to rescue the captive Emperor, correct?”
“Th-that is correct.”
“This person is Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande. I campaigned together with Brother Mengde from the Yellow Turban Rebellion all the way to the campaign against Dong Zhuo. These are my sworn brothers, Guan Yunchang and Zhang Yide.”
The Three Brothers Liu, Guan, and Zhang appeared exactly as if they had stepped out of the illustrations in the comics.
“We wish to offer our allegiance to Xudu, where the Emperor resides. Please convey this to Minister of Works Cao Mengde.”
I accepted them and set out for Xudu.
While Xiahou Yuan and Cao Ren attacked Chang’an, escorting Liu, Guan, and Zhang fell to me.