Chapter Fourteen: The Young Warrior of Peiguo

The next day, Cao Hong, accompanied by his retainers, left Yan County. After eight more days of hard travel, he finally entered the territory of Pei State. A day later, he arrived at Qiao County, where Cao Ren resided. Before reaching the county, Cao Hong had already sent Big Eyes ahead to inform Cao Ren of his arrival time, so Cao Ren was waiting outside the city with several attendants to greet him.

Although Qiao County was within Pei State, it served as the administrative seat of Yu Province—in today’s terms, the provincial capital. Its size and population far surpassed small places like Qichun or Wuping County. The fact that Cao Ren could establish himself here was proof that the Cao family was not to be underestimated in Yu Province.

Yu Province contained two commanderies and four states. The two commanderies were Runan and Yingchuan; the four states were Pei, Liang, Chen, and Lu. Runan governed thirty-seven counties, Yingchuan seventeen, and Pei twenty-one. Out of Yu Province’s ninety-eight counties, these three regions alone accounted for seventy-five, making them not only the most populous and extensive, but also the most affluent.

The power structure among these regions was clear-cut. Runan was under the control of the Yuan family—Yuan Shu and his elder brother Yuan Shao. Yingchuan was dominated by four great families: the Xuns, Chens, Zhongs, and Hans. These illustrious clans produced many renowned figures in the late Han. For example, the current head of the Xun family, Xun Shuang, had risen to the rank of Minister of Works, one of the Three Excellencies, second only to the Emperor. Xun Shuang was none other than the uncle of Xun Yu and great-uncle of Xun You, and the leading figure among the “Eight Dragons of the Xun Clan” (contrary to what many believe, Xun Yu himself was not counted among the Eight Dragons; he hadn’t reached that level). In terms of scholarship, Xun Shuang was unmatched.

The Chen family boasted Chen Ji, who had served as Prefect of the Palace Secretariat. The Zhong family produced the great scholar Zhong Hao, whose grandson, Zhong Yao, was still in court service—a formidable figure and the father of the famous late Three Kingdoms general, Zhong Hui. The Han family included Han Fu, the current Inspector of Jizhou, which governed 104 counties across the vast, rich North China plains.

Furthermore, these four families were famed for their scholarship and writings. Works by Xun Shuang—such as “The Rites,” “Commentary on the Book of Changes,” “Commentary on the Book of Songs,” “Canon of the Book of Documents,” “Spring and Autumn Statutes,” “Han Language,” and “New Treatises”—were all classics revered by scholars. Chen Ji’s “The Writings of Master Chen,” numbering tens of thousands of words, was widely circulated. The Han and Zhong families also produced enduring texts. Each family counted over a thousand disciples and students, wielding immense influence in the Eastern Han intellectual world. The Yingchuan Academy, which they jointly established, was regarded as a sanctuary of learning by scholars everywhere.

Pei State, meanwhile, was controlled by the Cao family. Among the three most prosperous regions in Yu Province, the Cao family held its own, standing toe to toe with the Yuan family of Runan and the four great families of Yingchuan. Though descended from eunuchs, the Cao family had accumulated true power and foundation.

Now, with Cao Song having resigned from office, Cao Ding far away in Wu Commandery, and Cao Cao stationed in Chenliu, the master of Pei State was undoubtedly the man before Cao Hong—Cao Ren. At twenty-one, two years older than Cao Hong, Cao Ren was robustly built, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a resolute face, and powerful hands. He wore a dark grey robe and sat tall on his horse, exuding the air of a famed general. Cao Hong could see at a glance that Cao Ren’s martial skills had reached the stage of refining qi into spirit, perhaps even deeper than his own.

Cao Ren radiated a fierce aura, born of slaughter in battlefields drenched in blood. This was likely due to the chaos left by the Yellow Turban remnants in Pei State; with his father dying young, Cao Ren, at only sixteen, had rallied over a thousand local youths to fight bandits across the region, earning a fearsome reputation.

At this moment, Cao Hong and Cao Ren were still some thirty paces apart. The imposing city walls of Qiao County loomed ahead. As a provincial capital, its walls towered over twenty meters high, battlements aligned in rows, and the city gatehouse formidable—a testament to its strength as a military fortress. This was the ancient world’s greatest bulwark: the city.

Gazing at Qiao County, encircled by its moat, Cao Hong knew his campaign had truly begun. Cao Ren grinned broadly and, with two attendants, spurred his horse toward Cao Hong’s group, the thunder of hooves quickly closing the distance.

Cao Ren called out loudly, “Zilian, how have you been?”

Cao Hong returned the smile, saluting with clasped fists. “All is well!”

Cao Ren laughed heartily, riding up to embrace Cao Hong warmly on horseback. Excitedly, he said, “At last, the day has come!”

Cao Hong understood perfectly—Cao Ren knew of Cao Cao’s plans to rise. He smiled and nodded, then glanced at the two attendants behind Cao Ren, and was immediately taken aback.

Just then, Cao Ren rode up to the carriage carrying Sheng Meizhen. “Sister-in-law, I hope you have been keeping well?”

A maid lifted the curtain. Sheng Meizhen, seated inside, bowed gracefully and replied, “Thank you for your concern, cousin. All is well.”

Cao Ren smiled, “My wife speaks of you day and night, lamenting it’s been too long since you last talked late into the night together.”

Sheng Meizhen smiled in return. “I miss her dearly as well.” While they exchanged pleasantries, Cao Hong was carefully observing one of Cao Ren’s attendants.

One was a young man of twenty-three or four, strong and imposing, whose martial prowess had reached the peak of refining essence into qi. What astonished Cao Hong, however, was the other—who appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen, yet rode a horse twice the size of the other’s mount: robust, powerful, and clearly a fine steed from the north, rare in the Central Plains. But it was not the horse that surprised Cao Hong most, but its rider.

The boy sat so tall in the saddle, he was as high as the young man beside him—both over 180 centimeters. The boy was at least three times as wide, his robe stretched tight over his frame, especially his belly, which sagged enough to nearly press down the horse’s neck. His face was round, eyes narrow, lips plump and pink, small ears, the whole face like a large pumpkin, his body like a giant steamed bun. On his back he carried a round hammer as large as a pumpkin. Cao Hong could tell the sturdy steed was struggling under the boy’s weight.

If the boy’s size surprised Cao Hong, his martial cultivation was even more astonishing. Both temples bulged, his narrow eyes—almost hidden beneath layers of fat—shone with a fierce light. Clearly, he had reached the pinnacle of refining qi into spirit, a hair’s breadth away from comprehending the void—a truly extraordinary level.

Cao Hong could not help but ask, “Young brother, how old are you this year?”

The plump boy was startled, but said nothing. The young man beside him replied immediately, “My younger brother is fourteen.”

“You are brothers? May I know your names?” To possess such talent and skill at this age, the chubby boy could not be an unknown.

The young man answered, “I am Xu Ding, styled Bokang. My younger brother is Xu Chu, styled Zhongkang.”

Xu Chu! This chubby youth was Xu Chu?!

Cao Hong’s mind reeled. How could this fellow be so formidable? When he himself had trained under a renowned master and practiced diligently, he hadn’t achieved such attainments at fourteen. Cao Hong sincerely praised, “Your brother is truly a mighty warrior.”

Xu Ding replied politely, “You flatter him, sir.”

Xu Chu, hearing the praise, simply smiled bashfully and said nothing.

“Zilian, let us return to the residence. I have prepared a banquet to welcome you!” Cao Ren’s voice called out.

“I await your instructions, cousin.” Cao Hong answered, and the party made their way toward Qiao County ahead.