Chapter 054: Companions (1/2)

Dilemma?

Dian Wei was somewhat confused.

Wei Yan and Xiahou Lan, however, had already guessed part of the truth, and their faces changed dramatically.

Cao Peng was seized by a violent coughing fit, a flush of unhealthy red appearing on his pale face. Just sitting here for a while and talking had left him more fatigued than he had ever felt before. He shifted his posture, resting his head against a pillar with his back suspended in midair.

“Big Black, I heard everything you said just now. Xiahou also mentioned that he fought all night on the western bank, attempting several times to break through the Yushui defenses, but all in vain. What does this tell us? Zhang Boluan has stabilized the situation in Wancheng! You may think that Lord Cao will counterattack. But let me tell you, he will, but not now. The powerful clans of Nanyang will never sit idly by and let Lord Cao continue his assault on Wancheng. If before, out of fear of Lord Cao’s might, they surrendered without a fight, now Zhang Boluan has set the perfect example for them. If Lord Cao continues his campaign in Nanyang, he will face a hundred times more difficulty than before.”

Dian Wei’s dark face twitched a few times, but he remained silent.

Xiahou Lan listened quietly without saying a word. Previously, he had suspected that Cao Peng might be connected to Dian Wei, perhaps even a relative of Cao Cao, and so he had felt some dread. But fear was just that—fear. Respect was another matter. Now that Xiahou Lan understood there was no such connection, an unexpected sense of respect began to rise in his heart.

This boy was anything but ordinary!

Wei Yan, for his part, said nothing. He knew that Cao Peng had a remarkable grasp of the bigger picture.

“If it were just the Nanyang clans, Lord Cao might still press on. But the real problem is, with so many warlords in the north, do you think the others will let Lord Cao act as he pleases?”

Dian Wei’s expression grew grave. “You mean…”

“Huainan’s Yuan Shu, Hebei’s Yuan Shao, and especially Jingzhou’s Liu Biao… Liu Biao, in particular, would never allow Wancheng to fall. If it did, the gates to Jingxiang would be wide open, and Jingzhou itself would be under threat. Lord Cao, having welcomed the Son of Heaven and taken up the banner of righteousness, is already a threat in their eyes. If he pushes his campaign now, he’ll only provoke more hostility. Liu Biao, being a kinsman of the imperial family, can easily ally with Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, and even with Xu Province’s Lü Bu. To avoid being beset on all sides, Lord Cao’s only choice is to withdraw his troops, and withdraw he must.”

Cao Peng spoke with calm assurance.

Leaning against the pillar, his frail body and pale face nonetheless radiated a quietly formidable presence.

For the first time, Dian Wei spoke earnestly. “Afu, then what is the dilemma you mentioned?”

“Right now, Zhang Boluan is holding Yushui to defend against Lord Cao. But once Lord Cao retreats, Zhang Boluan’s next move will surely be to purge the region of disorderly soldiers. At that point, the powerful families throughout Nanyang will fully cooperate. Big Black, what do you think we should do to escape this inescapable net?”

Cao Peng’s words shook Dian Wei, who nodded slightly, anxiety creeping into his face.

Fighting, killing—these things had never scared Dian Wei. But that didn’t mean he could cut his way back to Xuchang from Nanyang. He might look burly and rough, but he wasn’t a fool. After hearing Cao Peng’s analysis, even Dian Wei couldn’t help but grow tense.

“Afu, then what do you suggest we do?”

Cao Peng coughed again and smiled bitterly. “If only I knew… The urgent thing is to escape Wancheng’s jurisdiction before Liu Biao and Zhang Xiu renew their alliance. That’s all I can think of. As for how to escape, you’ll have to decide for yourselves.

Anyway, once I recover a bit, I’m going home to see my parents. As for what you do, I really have no good ideas…”

The three fell into silence.

Cao Peng was indeed afraid, because he knew Zhang Xiu himself was not to be feared—but the man behind him, Jia Xu, was terrifying.

This rebellion by Zhang Xiu was surely masterminded by Jia Xu. The interlinked attacks made that clear. Cao Peng could sense Jia Xu’s fearsome cunning.

In any case, he had no desire to become Jia Xu’s enemy…

“I’m hungry,” Cao Peng said.

“Let’s eat first, let’s eat! You need to be full to have the energy to make plans.”

Dian Wei immediately called out, and Xiahou Lan and Wei Yan sprang into action. Wei Yan tore off a rabbit leg, and Xiahou Lan brought Cao Peng a bowl of rabbit-bone soup with coarse flour cakes, the aroma of meat filling the air. Cao Peng made no pretense, devouring a rabbit leg and drinking two bowls of the hearty soup. His empty belly finally felt comfortable. Wearied from talking, he lay down on the pile of grass, closed his eyes, and rested. All the while, he silently practiced the Twelve-Section Quiet Exercise from the White Ape’s All-Through-the-Back Art. He couldn’t complete the practice with the Eight-Character Mantra, but for his current condition, the Quiet Exercise was the best fit.

“Captain Dian, what should we do?” Xiahou Lan asked after a bowl of soup.

Dian Wei scratched his head, at a loss. He was good with his fists, less so with his wits.

“Wen Chang, what do you think?”

Wei Yan scratched his own head and spoke quietly. “North of Wancheng are Nan’e County and Dongwuting. Heading north from Wancheng, you have to cross Yushui, which is wide. With the spring floods coming, the river will be swift. Only at Dongwuting can we cross directly to Zhi County. As things stand, that would be the easiest way. I recall Zhi County also surrendered to Lord Cao; going that way would take about two days.”

“Then let’s take the Dongwuting route!”

“But here’s the problem,” Wei Yan continued, “If what Afu said is true, whether we meet Zhang Boluan’s troops on the way or not, he will definitely have stationed a strong force at Dongwuting. And who knows if the local clans in Zhi County will rebel, as Afu warned? If that happens, going through Dongwuting is suicide.”

Dian Wei frowned at that.

Xiahou Lan couldn’t help but say, “Maybe—maybe Master Cao is just guessing? Perhaps Zhang Boluan hasn’t stationed troops at Dongwuting at all?”

Wei Yan sneered, “You don’t understand Afu. He’s not like other children. His brother-in-law Deng Ji once told me: Afu sees the bigger picture like no other. He never speaks carelessly. If he’s said it, then most likely it will happen as he predicts. I trust him on this.”

His expression said plainly, “You don’t get it, so stop talking.” Xiahou Lan was left speechless.

He wanted to argue further, but Dian Wei said, “I haven’t known Afu long, but I can tell he’s not like other children.”

Dian Wei massaged his temples, then looked up sharply. “I trust Afu.”

With even Dian Wei convinced, Xiahou Lan had no choice but to hold his tongue.

“There is another way,” Wei Yan offered, “We could head south.”

“Oh?”

“We could pass through Liu Biao’s territory to reach Lord Cao. But the problem is, Zhang Boluan is likely to have sealed both northern and southern roads. Until he renews his alliance with Liu Biao, he won’t let his guard down. So heading straight south isn’t an option either…”

Xiahou Lan began to panic. “If we can’t go south or north, do you mean to go west?”

To the west of Wancheng was the heart of Zhang Xiu’s domain.

Wei Yan thought it over. “Going west might actually be a good idea.”

“How so?”

Wei Yan sipped his soup and explained, “Lord Cao and Zhang Boluan are focused on the banks of Yushui. The west, though ruled by Zhang Xiu, hasn’t seen fighting and will be laxly defended.”

He picked up his dagger and quickly sketched a rough map on the ground.

“Look, here’s Wancheng, here’s Yushui. North is Dongwuting, south is Jiyang… I suggest we go west. In about a day, we can reach Tuan River. Then we follow the river south, skirt around Rang County, and reach Anzhong. Once at Anzhong, we’re in Liu Biao’s territory, where there will be no defenses. From Anzhong, we cross the Ji River, follow the Bi River east, pass Que Mountain, and we’re in Runan Commandery—Lord Cao’s territory. Once there, we’ll be safe.”

Dian Wei was clearly tempted by this plan.

“How long will that take?” he asked.

“If we have horses and follow that route, it’ll take three to five days to reach Anzhong. From Anzhong to Que Mountain, another three to five days. As for the stretch from Que Mountain to Langling, I can’t be sure—I’ve only gone as far as Que Mountain, never to Runan itself.”

“So at minimum, ten days,” Dian Wei mused, falling into deep thought.

Seeing his hesitation, Wei Yan’s eyes glinted with cunning.

“General Dian, let’s talk outside.”

Dian Wei agreed, stood, and glanced back at the sleeping Cao Peng.

“Xiahou, look after Afu.”

With that, he strode out with Wei Yan.

In the open encampment, Dian Wei asked, “Wen Chang, what is it?”

“What do you think of Afu?” Wei Yan replied.

Dian Wei paused, then said, “He’s an excellent young man.”

“Afu is young now, but he’s destined for great things. Wouldn’t you like to introduce someone like him to Lord Cao?”

“Of course I would, but he wants to go home!”

“General, if we take the route through Anzhong, we’ll pass Jiyang. Leave it to me; I’ll persuade Afu to come with us. When we reach Jiyang, we can bring his parents along. Afu is a devoted son—he’ll agree to join Lord Cao with us.”

Dian Wei was delighted by the idea.

“That’s a fine plan.”

Wei Yan continued, “Afu is mature beyond his years. Deng Jichong told me he often speaks highly of Lord Cao… It’s just a shame about Deng Jichong—a man of great talent and integrity. Though he only helped me out a few times, I was deeply impressed.

If not for Huang She…”

As he spoke, Wei Yan’s face darkened with hatred.

Even Dian Wei couldn’t help but show his regret. “By your account, even if Deng Ji could do no more than Mao Xiaoxian, it would be something.”

Mao Xiaoxian—real name Mao Jie, from Pingqiu in Chenliu, was also a fellow townsman of Dian Wei’s. In his youth, he had served as a county official and was renowned for his honesty and fairness. When Cao Cao became governor of Yanzhou, he summoned Mao Jie as an aide. At the time, Mao Jie advised Cao Cao: “The realm is divided, the Son of Heaven relocated, and the people have abandoned their livelihoods. The state lacks a year’s grain in reserve, and the people have no sense of stability. This cannot last. To achieve great things, you must plan for the long term and lay a solid foundation. Wars are won by righteous armies, but the means to hold power is wealth. So you should honor the Son of Heaven and issue commands in his name. Develop agriculture, build up reserves—only then can you succeed.”

In the Three Kingdoms era, the phrase “holding the emperor to command the lords” was common. In fact, around the Jian’an era, many insightful men saw this need. Mao Jie was the first in Cao Cao’s camp to advocate honoring the Son of Heaven and issuing decrees to the lords. Thanks to his advice, Cao Cao established the tuntian system.

Dian Wei knew Mao Jie well. To compare Deng Ji to Mao Jie—if Deng Ji knew, he would be humbled and terrified.

After a moment’s thought, Dian Wei made up his mind. “We’ll do as Wen Chang suggests. We’ll travel with Afu, and when the time comes, bring his parents along to Xu City.”