How to Survive in Turbulent Times (8): Suddenly Subjugating Zhang Su
...That line didn't fly with anyone.
Those serving under Cao Cao saw themselves as the emperor's own army, duty-bound to crush any "rebels" who threatened the throne.
"Your Majesty, we're moving to subjugate Zhang Su. Could you issue an imperial edict?"
"Zhang Su—who's that?"
"Zhang Ji's nephew."
"So, you're saying he might come after Heodo?"
"Yes."
"Then subjugate him..."
"Zhang Su of Wan has seized the city on his own authority, plundering the people and collecting taxes unlawfully. Thus, the emperor has decreed: subjugate Zhang Su and restore the imperial Han authority."
Cao Cao read the edict before her generals.
"That's the official story."
She carefully folded the edict and set it on the desk.
All the generals knew the truth: this "imperial decree" was just Cao Cao's own will, dressed up as the emperor's command.
"Straight to the point: before we hit Lü Bu, we hit Zhang Su."
Rear security was now secured. A reason to subjugate Zhang Su had been set.
"I've heard Yuan Shao's gearing up for a massive showdown with Gongsun Zan up north. Our army's stockpiled enough grain through tuntian farming to raise a force of ten thousand."
Cao Cao paused, her voice catching for a moment.
"Heh, just three years ago, I was begging Yuan Shao for a measly thousand troops like a beggar. Time flies, huh? Gotta love having the emperor."
The puppet emperor wasn't just a tool to pressure the warlords.
"For the imperial house!"
Many young men enlisted, eager to lay down their lives for the Han. The thirty thousand Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou signed up to repay the Cao Cao who had taken them in. Folks around Heohyeon and Yeju joined up, inspired by her vow to protect the emperor.
Of course, the ones truly motivated by concern for the Han dynasty were few and far between.
"You really give out rice if we enlist?"
"Of course! One-tenth of the tuntian harvest from your land goes straight to your family—that's the promise from the emperor and Lord Cao Cao!"
"I'll trust you on that. Can't farm myself anymore, so my family needs that rice."
"Man to man, I swear it—on the name of Xiahou Yuan!"
...Protecting their own families—far closer than some distant Han court—drove countless able-bodied men to step up. Thanks to them, Cao Cao's army secured tens of thousands of troops who weren't elite but were steadily toughening up through training. This miracle came from a scheme proposed by Sun Uk, courtesy of some scholar from a Jingzhou academy.
With power comes the urge to wield it—that's human nature.
"Xun You, if Lü Bu attacks Liu Bei at Xiaopei, do we have enough reinforcements?"
"Of course. The Liu Bei brothers can hold off ten thousand with proper support. They'll buy us time until our forces arrive to back them against Lü Bu."
"Cao Ren, your thoughts?"
"I agree with Teacher Gongdal. A messenger reaches us, we ride hard from Chenliu—Xiaopei falls in no time. And if push comes to shove, Liu Bei's ready to abandon it. We took Xiaopei ourselves multiple times in the last Xuzhou campaign. We can hold it."
"Yuan?"
"I'll send troops from Puyang too. Got a decent rapport with the Qingzhou governor—no attacks from Beihai."
Defenses on the Xuzhou front weren't ironclad, but Cao Cao's forces had done their best.
With half the army tied up southwest, could they still actively counter Lü Bu and hold their land?
The bare minimum condition—"manpower"—was now met. The puppet emperor, tuntian, and absorbing Qingzhou's Yellow Turban refugees had aligned perfectly as a boon for Cao Cao's army.
"Zheng Uk, what's the situation in Nanyang? Still fixated on that Sun Quan pup running wild?"
"Yes. Jiangdong's counterattacks are fiercer than expected. Even if Lü Bu goes berserk and Yuan Shu sneaks him troops and grain, he won't strike Heodo—not with that lofty 'Vibrant General' title hanging over him."
"Sun Uk, your take?"
"Agreed. Yuan Shu's not like Lü Bu. Like Yuan Shao, he cares about legitimacy. He won't dare hit Heodo lightly."
Uncertainties were fading one by one. All that remained was deploying the troops.
"Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Lü Bu—preparations against the major threats are complete. Now, all that's left is..."
Bam! Cao Cao slammed her fist into the "Wan" spot on the wall map.
"...victory over Zhang Su of Wan."
"General."
Sun Uk stepped forward.
"Why not take the full army, offer him surrender terms?"
"Surrender, huh."
Cao Cao scanned her generals, fiddling with her hair.
"We've mustered all these troops—gotta test 'em in battle first, right?"
"Well said! This Xiahou Miaozae stands ready to crush any foe!"
"Word is Zhang Su's army's mostly cavalry. Leave the horsemen to me—Ak Jin!"
Cao Cao had floated the idea lightly, but the generals' blood was up, clamoring for war. Even the advisors couldn't dampen that fire.
"...Fine. But we can't just butcher men waving a white flag first. Offer terms once. We'll decide after."
"Understood. Looks like we're set, then. In service to the emperor's edict."
Cao Cao unfurled a silk banner hanging precariously from the ceiling.
"We shall subjugate the rebel Zhang Su, who dares call himself governor of Wan!"
* * *
At that moment, in Wan's government office.
"...Cao Cao's coming herself with twenty thousand?"
Zhang Su dropped his spoon mid-bite.
"How many?"
"Twenty thousand. Mostly fresh Qingzhou recruits."
"Recruits or not, they can swing a sword, right? No—twenty thousand? What've we got?"
"Five hundred cavalry, three thousand infantry. Scrape the barrel, maybe five thousand."
"Still just five thousand."
Twenty thousand. Overwhelming numbers. With Wan's forces barely scraping five thousand, it was four times their strength.
"Damn it, what'd I do to deserve an army this size coming for me?"
"Hm, calling yourself governor of Wan without official appointment? That's impersonation, no?"
"Don't joke around, Teacher Jia!"
"Heh, the real reason might make you mad."
"Spit it out!"
Jia Xu covered her mouth, chuckling.
"We're close."
"What?"
"Among nearby warlords, we're the perfect example."
"What the hell does that mean?"
Close enough to hit. Unthinkable for Zhang Su.
"Close? Liu Biao's right there!"
"Liu Biao's main force has to cross the Yangtze from Yangyang—and he doesn't strike first anyway."
"I don't wanna fight Cao Cao either!"
"Doesn't the shadow of Elder Zhang Ji still linger?"
"Damn it!"
Zhang Su pounded the desk.
"That's why we're the example?"
"Yes. Warlords split into two camps now: those who've taken titles from the emperor, boosting their rank. And those who haven't."
"I haven't."
"The first group? Cao Cao wants alliances. The second? She crushes with force."
"S-So that's why she's bringing four times the men? What about the east?"
"Her elite veterans stay east."
"This is insane."
Zhang Su hadn't taken a title from Cao Cao—or the emperor. Which made these twenty thousand soldiers nothing less than executioners come for his head.
"What should we do?"
"Three paths: fight, flee, or surrender."
"Which gives the best shot at survival?"
"Surrender, obviously."
Zhang Su hung his head. Jia Xu just smiled.
"What future do you want, General? Secure the emperor and live like Dong Zhuo?"
"To be a father my son won't be ashamed of."
"Then it's decided. Surrender. Bowing to the Han court—now that's a beautiful picture."
"Sigh."
Zhang Su pulled out a pipe from his robe.
"Teacher, care for a smoke?"
"Offering tobacco to a lady?"
Jia Xu took the pipe from him.
"Phew. It'll be fine, right?"
"We took Wan bloodlessly—should be. Cao Cao's reasonable. If you're sincere, thinking of your son, surrender's the right call. If it were a romance, you'd play hard to get—but that's not you, is it?"
"Yeah. I just..."
Zhang Su fidgeted, leg jittering as he puffed.
"...figure surrender gets me some post, right?"
"Even Beihai's Governor Kong Rong moved his base to Heodo at the emperor's call. And you bowing first? Symbolic power."
"Symbolic?"
"A general who broke from Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, Guo Si—returning to the emperor? Humiliates the Chang'an clique."
"......Still uneasy."
Zhang Su smacked his lips, flicking ash.
"What if Cao Cao attacks anyway?"
"If she does post-surrender, we fight to the death. But we'd need allies—our strength alone won't cut it."
"Allies?"
"If Wan falls, Jingzhou's next, right?"
"......You mean ally with Liu Biao?"
Zhang Su's face darkened.
"They killed my uncle publicly! How do I face my aunt?"
"General, think of the greater good. Give the word, and I'll seal the alliance."
"How?"
"Plenty of ways."
Jia Xu's eyes curved like crescent moons.
"I know Jingzhou's real power players well. Heh."
"Teacher Jin, long time no see. Hu Huawen."
"Wasn't that your name last time?"
"Was it? Allow a formal introduction, then."
"No need—I know. ...Jia Xu, the former Chancellor of Taiwei, Lady Wenhu, right?"
A bright smile. Fine weather. Jia Xu had shown up out of the blue.