026. Avenger of Jingzhou
“Damn it, why is tea from Xiangyang so much more expensive than from Wan City? A pound of rotten leaves costs a hundred strings of cash—what a rip-off!”
In Rang City, inside the City Lord’s mansion, Zhang Xiu complained as he sipped the bland second brew of tea.
Opposite him sat a chubby old man with dimples—Jia Xu, known as Wenhe.
Jia Xu waved his black-feather fan and chuckled, “General, you’ve been quick-tempered lately. Are you regretting your rebellion against Cao Mengde?”
“Regret? Never!”
Zhang Xiu spat the tea leaves from his mouth, “A man lives for his pride, a tree for its bark. That Cao Hong looked down on me—came to insult and humiliate me. The Cao army belittled my Xiliang troops, treated us as cowards. If we don’t show them what we’re made of, they’ll think Xiliang men are easy to push around.”
Jia Xu smiled gently, about to offer comfort, when footsteps echoed in the corridor.
“Report, General and Chief Historian—news from Wan City.”
Bian Qi, the Xiliang army’s chief clerk, entered and bowed to both men. “Our spies report that two days ago, Cao Xin returned to Wan City from Xu Capital, bringing a massive supply of grain and military equipment.”
“Oh—Cao Xin is back?”
Zhang Xiu straightened and frowned. “That scoundrel loves war, born for battle. Last time, he dared to charge my five thousand with just a hundred men. Now he commands over ten thousand—he won’t just sit quietly in Wan City. Shouyu, keep a close watch on Wan City. If there’s any movement, report immediately.”
“Yes, General!”
Bian Qi and Bian Shouyu saluted and withdrew.
Zhang Xiu turned to the silent Jia Xu. “Old Jia, what do you think Cao Ziyu will do next?”
Jia Xu shook his head slightly. “Cao Ziyu is an odd one—his actions are unpredictable, surprising. After Wan City surrendered, I never understood why he sought you out, nor why he risked Cao Mengde’s suspicions to protect Lady Zou.”
“Eh, when he came to see me, wasn’t it just to learn ‘Phoenix Gathering’?”
Zhang Xiu felt Jia Xu was overcomplicating matters.
“How could it be so simple? If he were a brute, I’d believe he came to learn spear techniques. But from all that’s happened, he’s no brute. He’s sharp, outwardly rough but inwardly shrewd, with a calculating mind, yet bold and skilled in command—a general of both intellect and courage. General, if you ever face Cao Ziyu again, tread carefully.”
Zhang Xiu nodded earnestly, his gaze more solemn.
—
“Report! General, urgent message: Nanyang Prefect Cao Xin arrived in Wan City three days ago. All city officials welcomed him at the gates.”
In the New Ye City Lord’s mansion, an armored sergeant knelt at the threshold, delivering the news.
“Understood. Have our men keep watching.”
“Yes, General!”
—
In the main hall, General Deng Ji, charged with pacifying the north, responded, setting aside his chess piece. Across from him, Chief Clerk Yi Ji glanced at Deng Ji and smiled, “General, your mind is troubled.”
He placed a white stone at the upper position. Deng Ji paused, realizing too late that a careless move had doomed two large groups on the board—he’d lost, cleanly.
“Haha, you win, Ji Bo! Truly, one false step and the whole game is lost.”
Deng Ji laughed, patting his forehead.
Yi Ji bowed with a smile, “Merely fortunate, General. Are you worried about Cao Ziyu?”
“Absolutely!”
Deng Ji sipped hot tea. “Cao Ziyu disregards all rules—he’s crude and rude, greedy and shameless, always bullying the weak. But he commands strong troops; with him in Nanyang, unrest is inevitable. Peace will be hard to find.”
Yi Ji nodded, “Your concerns are well founded.”
“Brother! Brother!”
A burly officer strode into the hall and called to Deng Ji, “Brother, I heard Cao Ziyu has returned to Wan City. When will we raise our army to punish the villain?”
Deng Ji glanced at him. “Your injuries healed?”
The officer’s face flushed deep red, and he clenched his teeth in anger. He was Deng Xian, a Jingzhou officer recently captured by Cao Xin—Deng Ji’s cousin.
In his youth, Deng Xian was famed for his bravery in Xiangfan, appointed by Liu Biao as a subordinate general and stationed at New Ye with Deng Ji. He had hoped to earn glory and a noble title, but his first clash with a Cao army commander ended in defeat—he was knocked from his horse in just two exchanges.
He thought he’d die a hero on the battlefield, but instead he was captured. No one asked if he’d surrender—they simply bundled him, along with other officers, and sold them back to Jingzhou for fifty thousand strings of cash!
Once the news spread, Jingzhou scholars mocked him, dubbing him ‘Ten-Thousand-Cash General’.
Thinking of those rumors, he wished he could stab Cao the traitor fifty thousand times to vent his anger.
“Brother, my injuries are minor. I heard that dog Cao Xin is in Wan City. I want to ask how we’ll deal with him.”
Deng Xian gritted his teeth.
Deng Ji slowly picked up the chess pieces one by one.
“We hold our ground and watch.”
“Brother, think carefully. Wan City rightfully belongs to Jingzhou—we should strike first, reclaim it. If we wait until Cao Xin secures his position, New Ye, Rang City, and all Nanyang will fall to the Cao army. You must be wary.”
Deng Xian waved his hand.
“Enough. Cao Xin’s forces are strong, fortified, and well supplied. Jingzhou has only thirty thousand troops in Nanyang. Zhang Xiu of Rang City isn’t one to give his all. Against Cao Xin in Wan City, we have no advantage. A reckless attack would only bring defeat.”
—
“In the city, we can’t best Cao Xin—but outside, we surely can. I have a plan to lure him out.”
“Oh?”
Deng Ji looked at him in surprise and laughed, “Yuanzong, you’ve learned to scheme?”
Deng Xian scratched his head in embarrassment. “Brother, they say adversity teaches wisdom. I suffered a huge loss, so of course I’ve learned a thing or two. After my defeat by Cao Xin, I studied him closely. He’s young, yet already Prefect of Nanyang and General of Wei—he must be arrogant, dismissive of all heroes. Having beaten Jingzhou’s troops before, he definitely looks down on us.”
He glanced at Deng Ji and Yi Ji, smiling. “Brother, Ji Bo, if I, the defeated general, lead troops to harass Wan City, that traitor’s temperament will surely drive him to attack me. When the armies clash, I’ll feign defeat and draw him into an ambush. Brother, you then strike with hidden forces—we’ll defeat Cao Ziyu and ensure he never returns.”
He slammed his hand down, a gleam of delight and excitement on his face.
Deng Ji paused over the chessboard, brow furrowing. “Ji Bo, what do you think of this plan?”
Yi Ji replied slowly, “This plan exploits Cao Ziyu’s weaknesses—knowing the enemy and oneself, it could yield surprising results. But as Prefect of Nanyang, Cao Ziyu commands over ten thousand men and dozens of officers. If Yuanzong leads a raid on Wan City’s subordinate counties, Cao Ziyu could send other generals to fight. General, you must consider this carefully.”
Deng Xian laughed, “Ji Bo, I’ve thought of that. Cao Ziyu’s officers are all former Yellow Turbans, peasants—how many are real soldiers? If Cao Ziyu comes himself, all the better. If not, I’ll make sure those leftover Yellow Turbans never return. Once I eliminate his officers, would Cao Ziyu just sit by?”
He laughed heartily, full of satisfaction.
Deng Ji nodded slightly, suddenly looking at Deng Xian. “Yuanzong, is this plan truly yours?”
“Uh—”
Deng Xian scratched his face, “Not entirely. I have a junior officer, Wei by surname, quick-witted, good at coming up with tricks. We devised it together. Brother, what do you think? If possible, we can strike while Cao Ziyu is still unsettled in Wan City—surely he’ll never return.”
Deng Xian spoke with excitement.
“No rush. In warfare, the nation’s fate hangs in the balance—life and death, survival and destruction. Careful consideration is vital.”
Deng Ji picked up a chess piece and pressed it onto the board.
“First, send men to watch Cao Xin in Wan City, gather intelligence. If the opportunity arises, capturing Cao Ziyu for ransom would be worthwhile.”
“Haha, brother, you’ve voiced exactly what I was thinking. I’ll send men to watch Cao Xin right away.”
Deng Xian cupped his fists and left as swiftly as he’d arrived.
Deng Ji shook his head and resumed his chess game.