Ordinary Days in Xudu, and Nothing Ordinary in Nanyang

With both Liu Bei and Cao Cao away on campaign, Xudu had gone quiet.

In a Censorate without its Censor-in-Chief, I whiled away the hours idly turning bamboo slips.

"The proper work of the Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk is the inspection of the court. And yet, if I may say so..."

Thump.

"Speaking as a man — is there even anything in this Xudu worth inspecting?"

"The imperial household is every bit as quiet."

It was one of those days with time to spare, loafing with my brother-in-law Su Shuang, who had come calling at the Censorate.

As I had said, the Censorate was an organ of inspection. But look at this Xudu. The men called senior ministers had come from Chang'an with nothing but their own hides and a handful of dependents — penniless to the last. Cao Cao had even opened his own granaries to pay their overdue salaries, so far from lining their pockets, these gentlemen truly had nothing in their storehouses at all.

Eunuchs taking bribes, imperial in-laws monopolizing the government? Such things could not have existed here if they tried. The eunuchs were barely filling their bellies on what the Emperor left of his meals, and the imperial relatives counted themselves lucky if they could scrape together three meals a day for their own households.

"Do you know your sister has been run off her feet these days? It isn't the child wearing her down. It's keeping the family shops afloat."

"From what I heard last time, she left the child-rearing to my wife and seems to have taken a real liking to running the tavern and the laundry."

The businesses I had founded in Xudu were mine on paper, but in practice it was my elder sister Yanhua who ran them. As head of the Xudu tavern she had taken the laundry in hand as well, drawing in a flood of information and giving work to Xudu's refugees, while my wives took turns helping now and then.

"Palace Assistant, these days there is a senior palace lady who inspects the wealth of the imperial household, second only to the Minister of the Privy Treasury."

"Is there such a person?"

"She goes about with her face covered in a thin cotton cloth, like so, blinking two great eyes while she looks things over. They say she reports directly to His Majesty the Emperor."

"Ah. That palace lady?"

A palace lady who went veiled — one woman came to mind at once.

"Well, it's nothing urgent. I ought to look into it later."

It was then.

Creeeak—

The door opened, and in came Guan Yu.

"If it isn't the Commander of the Tiger-Brave Imperial Guards!"

"Yun..."

"In a place like this, call me as you please."

Guan Yu came in and settled himself at ease.

"By now Yide must be ranging the battlefield alongside the Grand General, wouldn't you say?"

"They won a great victory in the first engagement, and I hear the victories have kept coming."

"With Yide there, of course they have."

That was part of it. But this was a campaign on which Cao Cao had marched with ten thousand cavalry and sixty thousand infantry. While we still moved in the thousands, he could already handle armies of tens of thousands as a matter of course, and the reports said that even now, in Yanzhou, more troops were being raised without pause. He was seizing his moment and building his strength to this degree. We could not simply sit still.

"Baijin. Men from the Grand General's headquarters are filling the ranks of the Tiger-Brave Guards — the Son of Heaven's own escort."

"You mean the units are being organized that way?"

"Men of Yanzhou are joining in droves. Those who follow the Grand General are entering the Tiger-Brave Guards."

"As head of the military administration, he is within his rights to arrange the roster so."

"At this rate the whole of the Tiger-Brave Guards will fall into Cao Cao's grasp. Is there no way to stop it?"

Guan Yu asked me in earnest.

I thought for a moment. If the transfers were going to proceed regardless, then the thing to do was set an alternative beside them. I chose my words with care.

"Inspector Liu of Yuzhou also holds the post of Left General in the military administration. As one of the generals of the four quarters, the Left General has the independent authority to open his own headquarters."

"Hmm?"

"Establish the Left General's headquarters, and assign there those of the Tiger-Brave Guards who are being shoved aside. It is only a transfer among the generalcies within the court. There is nothing in it anyone can object to."

"Hoh?"

"And since appointments of this sort will continue for the time being, your part in it, Brother Yunchang, is truly immense."

"What is it I'm to do?"

"Regardless of where they come from, regardless of faction, draw them all in. Show them the bearing of a commander who will carry even the least of them to the very end, and make them follow ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you from the heart."

"Hoh. That's far too abstract."

"It is something only you can do, Brother Yunchang."

At that, Guan Yu stroked his beard and let out a short laugh.

They said Guan Yu had always been generous toward lesser men, so gathering the hearts of those beneath him was something he would truly do well. It did not matter whether they were Yanzhou men Cao Cao had planted, or Jingzhou troops and men of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry under Cao Cao's direct command. The moment they stood beneath Guan Yu, Commander of the Tiger-Brave Imperial Guards, the Tiger-Brave Guards had to be made to follow him without question.

"I am asking you. This is something only you, Brother Yunchang, can do."

"When Baijin asks me so sincerely, how could I refuse? I will see to it that they move, in earnest, out of loyalty to the Han."

I had his firm pledge. Guan Yu finished his tea, rose, and went out to see to the palace guard.

"The great man in heaven would be thoroughly pleased to look upon you."

"He won't be truly pleased until the name of the Zhang clan of Zhongshan is known not only in my generation, but in those that follow."

Su Shuang laughed long and loud at that and returned to the Privy Treasury. I went through the remaining documents, then got to my feet. I might as well take a turn through the court myself.

I left the Censorate with a secretary and a few attendants and set out on a stroll.

The palace was as quiet as ever, but there was one place in it busier and more crowded than anywhere else.

"You've all worked hard. Rest a while, all of you!"

At that clear, cool voice, officials came pouring out of the bureau in a rush, some off to drink water, others pulling the meal boxes from their robes to eat.

"The Secretariat truly is a lively place."

When I went to the Secretariat, which in practice oversaw the governance of the realm, every face inside was one I knew.

"Well — if it isn't the Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk?"

"Prefect of the Masters of Writing. You look busy."

"I was only taking a brief rest."

Xun Yu smiled with a kindly warmth and called for tea, and the man who brought it was Xun You, an aide of the Secretariat.

"Flies are the only things stirring in the Censorate, but here the place is buried in documents awaiting approval."

"There is a great deal that must be done."

Among the countless bamboo slips, one caught my eye.

"Ah. Now that Xudu has become the capital, we mean to open new fields here and organize agricultural-colony troops. We are still debating whether to create an Agricultural Colony Bureau and appoint a General of the Agricultural Colonies, or to establish the post as a colonelcy, like the Colonel Director of Retainers and the Colonel of the City Gates."

"Under the Inner Court?"

"It will belong to the military administration of the Outer Court. Military grain comes first, above all else. The grain itself will be handled by the subordinate officials of the Nine Ministers."

Xun Yu was a man who handled not only the judgment of military talent, but the actual business of the court, to perfection. The moment the provisional capital had been raised, he had set about securing provisions and a line of defense, and he was already preparing to put infrastructure and finances firmly in place as well.

One thing, though, nagged at me.

"Agricultural-colony troops are soldiers who till the fields — farmer-soldiers, so to speak. It is right that they belong to the Outer Court, and right that the Grand General commands them. The Grand General is pushing a great many things forward, isn't he?"

"He is truly a remarkable man."

"It almost seems as if he is moving too hastily — as if he means to settle everything while he still holds the post."

At that moment, the hand with which Xun You was serving the tea trembled.

"Whatever do you mean...?"

"I was only joking."

"Is that so? A joke, then."

Unlike Xun You, Xun Yu did not so much as waver. He only smiled.

"With the seats of the Three Excellencies still unfilled, the Outer Court is in practice under the Grand General, and the Inner Court under the Prefect of the Masters of Writing. It seems to me the Grand General means to do, by his own authority, everything he can before new Three Excellencies are appointed."

"Who can say? I do not know who the next Grand General will be. I only hope he works well with whoever rises to the Three Excellencies."

So. I had it right.

It was common knowledge that Cao Cao had become Grand General and recommended Yuan Shao, up in Hebei, for the post of Grand Commandant among the Three Excellencies. But even with that office in hand, Yuan Shao had no intention whatsoever of coming to court. Word was that he was training a great army along the Yellow River instead. Cao Cao would throw away the Grand Generalship in the end. Before he did, though, he meant to use its authority to lock every appointment and every institution into place beforehand. And the man who would set all those appointments and institutions in motion would be Xun Yu.

"Quite some time has passed since the Grand General and the Left General both set out on campaign. I can only hope their martial fortune continues."

"I feel the same."

I drank the tea Xun You had offered and rose.

"The tea was excellent. If there is more to discuss regarding the Inner Court, I will gladly come calling again."

"Next time, I shall pay my respects at the Censorate."

Once I was out of the Secretariat, I would send a letter each to Xuzhou and Yuzhou when I got home. To Chen Deng, now Inspector of Xuzhou, and to Bu Zhi and Xu Sheng, who were raising Liu Bei's troops separately in Langya. We, too, had to breed warhorses in quantity, and turn out saddles, single stirrups, and horse armor in bulk no matter the cost, developing cavalry stronger than what we already fielded. That was the request I needed to make.

"Shall I try to finish it all by evening?"

I loosened my limbs and made ready to move again.

Seven battles. Seven victories.

That was the overwhelming record Cao Cao's great army of seventy thousand had carved out after entering Nanyang Commandery and meeting Zhang Xiu's forces. Zhang Xiu himself was a warlord out of Liang Province who had ranged the battlefields since his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠youth, and his army was thick with the Guanzhong troops his uncle Zhang Ji had left him, along with a great host of Liang Province soldiers. Even so, Cao Cao's army was simply too strong.

"Ha... I beg... to surrender."

"A little late, I'd say, but... very well. I'll accept it."

Having ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠utterly broken the morale of Nanyang Commandery and handed them despair, Cao Cao accepted the surrender of Zhang Xiu, kneeling to beg it, and entered Wancheng at his leisure.

"Gentleman Zhang, you have labored hard."

"Hmph."

Zhang Fei, too, had taken the vanguard in four of the seven battles, and shown in full what it meant to be a match for ten thousand.

"Leading the cavalry, seizing the high ground, and fighting exactly as you pleased — it was a magnificent tactic."

"Young master, that's the bare basics. No need to fuss."

"Ah — ahahaha—"

Four times he had led the van and won, and Cao Cao had abruptly attached his eldest son to him, introducing the boy as his own firstborn. Unlike his father, Cao Ang was affable. He came up to Zhang Fei without reserve and followed him as an aide, while Zhang Fei kept a slightly prickly distance.

"I could use a drink!"

"Once we enter Wancheng and the banquet is held, I will set aside the finest wine and meat especially for Gentleman Zhang."

"Heh—"

At the mention of wine, a small smile touched Zhang Fei's face. But he had to follow what Zhang Qian had told him beforehand.

Having gone to war in Zhang Qian's place, he had resolved to follow every word the man had spoken, and once inside Wancheng he quietly took the measure of everything around him.

Zhang Fei kept those words clear in his mind and went on watching Cao Cao.

"My throat's dry. The rest I'd rather say over a cup of wine."

"A-at once. I will have a bath and fresh clothes prepared, and lay out a wine table."

"Good, good."

When the surrendered Zhang Xiu fawned and showed the way, Cao Cao followed, well pleased.

Zhang Fei was staring after that sight when someone approached.

"You would be the Grand General's officers, would you not?"

A man of about fifty, past the middle of his years, drew near. Zhang Fei studied him and waved him off.

"We're followin' the Grand General. No need."

"Hahaha. Allow me to show you the way. I am Jia Xu, an attendant officer of this city."

"Zhang Fei of Yan. Younger brother to Imperial Uncle Liu."

"Ah. You serve the Left General, then?"

Guided by Jia Xu, Zhang Fei went on with Cao Ang.

After fighting as if their lives depended on it, they found themselves at a banquet where the men who had surrendered waited on them with every courtesy.

"Yide! Take a cup from me!"

Thoroughly drunk, Cao Cao came toward Zhang Fei with a wine jar in hand. Zhang Fei did not so much as flicker. Expressionless, he only drank what was given him — the one man in the whole banquet who never smiled. If it went on like this, all they had to do was collect the instrument of surrender and the seal of Nanyang Commandery, and go home.

But as Cao Cao drank cup after cup and the drunkenness rose in him, he began to do something he should not have.

"Zhang Xiu!"

"Y-yes! Grand General."

"After a fight, gathering like this to eat and drink together — how pleasant it is. You, too, have now sworn loyalty to the court. Isn't that so?"

"Th-that is so, Grand General!"

"I like the fighting, I like the wine, I like the food, and I like this atmosphere just fine. But I'll tell you something."

"Is there... something you are looking for?"

Cao Cao stroked his beard and asked, his face flushed red.

"It's a shame there's no song and dance to grace the drinking. Earlier I saw a remarkable beauty in the government office. A woman in a white robe, with a cotton veil."

In an instant Zhang Xiu's face went the color of earth. At the same time Zhang Fei, who had been listening in silence, opened his eyes wide.

"G-Gentleman Zhang? What is the matter?"

Cao Ang, trying to soothe him, asked in alarm. Zhang Fei's gaze was already fixed on Cao Cao.

"Grand General, that lady is this humble man's aunt. She was widowed not long ago, and she keeps to the ancestral shrine."

"A peerless beauty — and you say she's the wife of the dead Zhang Ji?"

Cao Cao's eyes glittered all the more.

"Well now. Zhang Ji, leaving a wife that bewitching behind and going on ahead — truly pitiful."

Surrendered or not, where Zhang Xiu's dead uncle was concerned, Cao Cao was crossing the line rather hard.

"I should like to see that poor widow's face once more. Bring her."

"Grand General, anything but summoning my aunt to a place like this — I beg you to spare her that! I will bring singing girls in her stead."

"Hoh. You misunderstand my meaning entirely. Have you not surrendered in full?"

In the instant the armed men around Cao Cao reached for their swords—

Clang—

"Khh— the wine tastes fine, and now I get to see somethin' fun!"

Zhang Fei flung his cup without warning and dragged every eye to himself. As Cao Ang started up in alarm to stop him, Zhang Fei seized hold of him and rose.

"Grand General, I see that heart of yours clear enough — wantin' to show your boy a fine sight!"

"Yide, what are you doing?"

Not only Cao Ang, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but Mi Zhu, who had marched out with them, hurried over to restrain Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei only looked down at Cao Cao, his face full of confidence.

"Heh heh. Gentleman Zhang. You're drunk?"

"Takin' an interest in a surrendered governor's aunt — that must be some grand design of the Grand General's, too."

"—!"

Zhang Fei had nothing to hold him back.

"If that surrendered governor pleases you so much, you mean to become his new uncle through his aunt? Just what I'd expect of a Grand General who treasures men of talent."

Cao Cao had meant to take Zhang Xiu's aunt, and Zhang Fei's mockery struck him square: Are you trying to become Zhang Xiu's new uncle in Zhang Ji's place? To Zhang Xiu, who no longer knew where to put himself, Zhang Fei added one word more.

"Gentleman Zhang! What are you saying..."

"Ah — no, heavens—!"

Among Cao Cao's officers, their faces gone ashen, the hasty ones sprang up at once, and one of them came straight at Zhang Fei.

"Is there nothing this wretch won't say!"

Dian Wei, a warrior of a bulk to match Zhang Fei's own, rose and strode toward him. Under that murderous glare Zhang Fei did not give an inch. The two locked eyes, and a tremendous killing intent spilled out around the pair of monsters.

"What, you want a sword-dance to liven up the drinkin'?"

"You bastard, even so—!"

"Enough. Enough of that!"

Cao Cao rapped his chopsticks at once and raised a hand. Trembling, forcing himself down as far as he could, he suddenly laughed loud and lifted his head.

"Ha — hahahaha! I drank too much and made a foul joke, didn't I? Yes. With my own boy sitting right here, what does a woman amount to? Come. Let's just have our wine."

Zhang Fei looked once at Dian Wei, once at Cao Cao, and grinned.