Chapter 110: The Sage's Counsel

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At noon, although the spring sun was dazzling enough that no one dared look directly at it, its heat was not severe. Instead, it cast a pleasantly warm glow over the body. Cao Hong rode along the main street of Dongwuyang County, occasionally passing groups of patrolling soldiers. Whenever they saw him in his bright armor, they would stop and salute, and Cao Hong would courteously return their greetings.

He was on his way to the residence where Sheng Meizhen and the Qiao sisters had settled. Judging by the date, Sheng Meizhen should soon be ready to give birth. Since he had some free time, he intended to stay by his wife’s side and wait for the child to arrive.

The first thing Cao Cao had done after bringing the families of his generals to Dongwuyang was arrange lodgings for them. Every family had been given a residence in the county’s most prosperous neighborhoods. Since nearly all the wealthy local households had fled, many houses stood vacant. There was no need to drive out their former occupants; a little cleaning was enough to make them livable.

As for the merchants, craftsmen, shopkeepers, and laborers who had followed Cao Hong from Wu Commandery, Sheng Meizhen had settled them in another neighborhood. Naturally, they paid nothing. With Wei Zi, the commander of the left camp of Cao Cao’s civilian labor corps, lending a hand, claiming an empty residence was no great matter. Dongwuyang was now nearly deserted, and taking over a few extra houses hardly seemed significant.

Cao Hong had only just ridden up to the residence when he saw his old steward, Cao Fu, sitting on a folding couch and basking in the sun. The moment Cao Fu spotted him, he leaped to his feet and cried out in delight, “Young Master! You’re back!”

Seeing his old steward again, Cao Hong felt a surge of familiarity. He smiled and said, “Uncle Fu, you seem to have a very easy life.”

Cao Fu gave an awkward chuckle. “The Eldest Young Master is recruiting soldiers on a grand scale. Any able-bodied man—even a servant—can enlist, so all the household boys have joined the army. There isn’t even anyone left to guard the gate. This old body of mine has no choice but to keep watch here.”

Cao Cao truly made use of every available man, Cao Hong reflected. Aloud, he asked, “Where is my wife?”

At that, Cao Fu slapped his forehead. “Ah, look at me—what a muddle-headed old fool! Madam is about to give birth and has been thinking of you every day, afraid you might not return in time for the baby’s arrival. She is in the garden with the two Young Ladies. This old servant became so absorbed in talking that I forgot to take you to her. Really… the older one gets, the worse one’s memory becomes…”

The old man continued muttering as he came forward, took hold of Cao Hong’s reins, and led the horse into the courtyard. He even forgot to tell Cao Hong to dismount. Cao Hong did not bother correcting him; he simply leaped from the saddle. The steward was getting on in years, and a little confusion was inevitable. Once things settled down, Cao Hong decided, he would find a few people to attend to Cao Fu and appoint another steward.

With that in mind, Cao Hong entered the residence.

Cao Fu tied the horse to a nearby tree and led Cao Hong to the garden. The Qiao sisters, who had been playing and chasing butterflies, and Sheng Meizhen, who was reclining on a soft couch, all cried out in delight at the sight of him.

Little Qiao immediately went to help Sheng Meizhen sit up, while Big Qiao instructed Cao Fu to prepare a meal and told the kitchen to heat water for Cao Hong’s bath.

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By then, Sheng Meizhen was heavily pregnant. She waddled when she walked and had put on considerable weight. The fresh, radiant young woman she had once been now looked swollen and bloated. Cao Hong felt no desire for her at all. By contrast, the two Qiao sisters at her side seemed to grow more beautiful with every passing day.

Sheng Meizhen said, “Husband, you have returned. I am unable to rise and salute you properly, so I hope you will forgive me.”

Cao Hong helped her to her feet and laughed. “What are you saying? You are about to give birth. You should avoid unnecessary movement.”

Sheng Meizhen smiled. “You had not yet returned, so I grew accustomed to waiting for you in the courtyard.”

Moved by her words, Cao Hong put an arm around her broad waist and supported her toward the house. “I have made you worry, Meizhen.”

“It is nothing,” she replied with a gentle smile.

The Qiao sisters followed quietly behind them without saying a word. Sheng Meizhen glanced at the two girls and smiled. “These two little ones thought of their husband all day long as well. Now that he is standing right in front of them, they have suddenly lost their voices.”

Cao Hong looked at them and saw that both their cheeks were flushed. They were shy and uncertain, as was only natural. A woman followed her husband; having entered Cao Hong’s household, they knew that they belonged to him. As their bodies matured and they spent more time with Sheng Meizhen, they often heard her teasing remarks about her intimate life with Cao Hong. Their cheeks would grow hot, and they could barely withstand the embarrassment.

Yet they were at the age when their hearts were first awakening to love, and their imaginations were boundless. The sisters were twins who ate and slept together, and when the night grew deep and still, they would discuss such matters between themselves. Each time, their faces would burn with heat. Without realizing it, they became increasingly curious about Cao Hong, their husband. They began asking Sheng Meizhen questions, and after hearing enough, they started thinking of him themselves. Now that they were being teased to their faces, they were naturally mortified.

Seeing their bashful expressions, Cao Hong’s desire flared. He wished he could have both sisters at once. Understanding his thoughts, Sheng Meizhen said, “In any case, both girls are menstruating and cannot attend to you properly. Why not have them help you bathe later?”

The two sisters immediately lowered their heads, not daring to look at Cao Hong. Cao Hong burst into laughter. After helping Sheng Meizhen onto the couch, he stepped forward and drew one sister into each arm.

Both girls gave a startled cry. It was the first time they had been so close to their husband. Overcome by embarrassment and delight, they buried their faces against his chest.

Little Qiao gave a soft cry and said coyly, “Husband… your armor is so hard.”

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Cao Hong roared with laughter. “Hard? There is something even harder!”

With that, he carried the two girls toward the kitchen where the water was being heated. Once the sturdy maidservants had prepared the bath, he shared a lovers’ bath with the sisters. Afterward, he spent a long while making love to them before finally rising leisurely and going to eat the meal Cao Fu had prepared.

After a month of travel and hardship, Cao Hong was at last enjoying a few days of leisure.

For the next ten-odd days, he lived in complete relaxation. Aside from making love to the Qiao sisters, he occasionally gave Cao Ang advice on his martial training. The boy would come of age in only a few months, and he was growing increasingly handsome and spirited. He was practically a hundred times more attractive than Cao Cao—truly the very image of a handsome young man.

Besides diligently practicing martial arts, Cao Ang had now begun studying under Xun Yu. Xun Yu had come from Yingchuan Academy. Compared with Liu Ye’s ingenious resourcefulness, he possessed a deeper and more substantial foundation. His learning was orderly and methodical, and he had received a systematic education. Combined with his mastery of governance, this made him far better suited to instruct Cao Ang.

Cao Ang also mentioned that Xun Yu would serve as the principal guest at his coming-of-age ceremony. This alone showed how highly Cao Cao regarded Xun Yu. After the ceremony, the relationship between Xun Yu and Cao Ang would become even more extraordinary. If Cao Ang someday became emperor, then Xun Yu’s place beside him would be much like Zhuge Liang’s place beside Liu Shan after the death of Liu Shan’s father.

That was a distinction of extraordinary importance, and Xun Yu was worthy of it. At that moment, he was the only person at Cao Cao’s side capable of handling state affairs in their entirety. Men such as Zao Zhi, Ren Jun, Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and Li Qian all possessed some talent for administration, but none could match Xun Yu’s ability to resolve Dongwuyang’s inflation crisis with a single stroke.

Only then did Cao Hong understand why, when Cao Cao first met Liu Ye, he had recognized the man’s exceptional intelligence but had not called him “my Zhang Liang,” while he had lavished such praise upon Xun Yu. Zhang Liang’s significance to Liu Bang had clearly extended far beyond offering stratagems; he had helped establish Liu Bang’s empire. Xun Yu’s importance to Cao Cao was evidently much the same.

Once governance in Dongwuyang County had begun to show results, Xun Yu turned his attention to the whole of Dong Commandery. One day, he personally came to visit Cao Hong and brought him a curious assignment: Cao Hong was to lead his seven hundred men into Zhen County of Jiyin Commandery, establish a base there, and begin recruiting soldiers.

With considerable theatricality, Xun Yu also handed Cao Hong a brocade pouch and told him to open it only after he arrived.

Then he smiled and said, “This is a truly magnificent assignment. General Zilian must give it his utmost effort.”

With that, he departed with a beaming smile, leaving Cao Hong utterly bewildered.