154 Mysterious Refugees

Cao Hong had to admit that Emperor Xian of Han was a truly unfortunate sovereign. Having served as Dong Zhuo's puppet for several years, he had barely managed to escape the tiger's jaws only to find himself once again reduced to a puppet under Dong Zhuo's subordinates mere months later. Such catastrophic misfortune befalling an emperor was nothing short of tragic.

Feeling a momentary wave of sympathy for Xun Yu, Cao Hong remarked, "I am afraid there must be someone of extraordinary talent among the armies of Li Jue and Guo Si, which is why Lü Bu was defeated by them. Zixiu, what was the outcome for Lü Bu?"

Cao Ang replied, "I heard that the man said Lü Bu fled toward Wuguan after his defeat."

Hearing this, Xun Yu's expression changed dramatically. "Wuguan? He is bypassing Tongguan in favor of Wuguan? Emerging from Wuguan out of Guanzhong, it takes only three marches to reach Nanyang Commandery. Nanyang is currently in the hands of Yuan Shu. Is Lü Bu intending to defect to Yuan Shu? Zixiu, is this intelligence true? Did Li Jue and Guo Si truly breach Chang'an?" He still found it somewhat difficult to believe.

Cao Ang answered, "It appears to be true. The fellow spoke with absolute conviction, adding that because Guanzhong was in utter chaos and Luoyang was strewn with rotting corpses making it impossible to survive, he fled here. Besides, he would hardly dare to joke about the reigning Son of Heaven." This was an indisputable truth; no one would trifle with the safety of their emperor, least of all the common folk of a feudal society.

In history, after his defeat by Li Jue and Guo Si, Lü Bu did indeed endure a period of wandering. First he defected to Yuan Shu, then to Zhang Yang, the Administrator of Henei, and next to Yuan Shao, before finally launching a surprise attack on Cao Cao's Yanzhou from Yuan Shao's territory. The historical records glossed over these events with merely a few strokes, and the precise circumstances remained unknown to anyone. Yet, precisely because Lü Bu chose to defect to Yuan Shu at this very juncture, whether Cao Hong—stationed right beside Yuan Shao's borders—might have the opportunity to cross swords with Lü Bu remained a complete unknown.

"Sun Jian is dead, and Lü Bu has arrived. Yuan Shu's luck is not bad at all," Cao Hong chuckled.

Xun Yu, however, adopted a solemn expression. "Zilian, you must not lower your guard. If Lü Bu was defeated by Li Jue and Guo Si, it was likely because the likes of Wang Yun, wary of his status as an old associate of Dong Zhuo, dared not grant him sole command of the troops, resulting in constant interference. This man is fierce and formidable in battle, with brave generals and elite soldiers under his command. Should he fall under Yuan Shu's banner, he cannot be underestimated!"

Cao Hong nodded and said, "Rest assured, Wenru, I will never look down upon any opponent." Immediately recalling another matter, he turned to Cao Ang and asked, "Zixiu, about that refugee from Guanzhong—roughly how old is he, and what does he look like?"

Cao Ang replied, "The man is in his early thirties, of medium build, slightly lean, with that distinct sunburned tan characteristic of the people of Xiliang. His facial features are sharp and well-defined, giving him a very resolute appearance."

Upon hearing this, Cao Hong felt a stir in his heart and asked Cao Ang, "Why must it be the sunburned tan of a Xiliang native? There are plenty of tanned people in this world."

Just as Cao Ang was about to reply, Xun Yu took over the conversation. "This is a method of observing people I taught Zixiu. The land of Xiliang is a vast expanse of yellow sand beneath a blazing sun, and the climate is rather arid. Consequently, the skin of most people there is quite dark, and the flesh on their faces bears the marks of dryness and cracking. Although the south also experiences scorching sun, the air is humid, so it leaves no cracking marks. This observation is recorded in the travelogues of a Han dynasty alchemist."

Cao Hong nodded and smiled. "Read ten thousand books and you will know the affairs of the world without stepping out your door. I suppose that is the meaning of it."

Xun Yu smiled. "Zilian is too modest. I wonder why you inquired about these details from Zixiu?"

Cao Hong laughed. "Does Wenru not find this refugee's arrival rather suspicious? Before news of Li Jue and Guo Si breaching Chang'an has even reached Wenru in Yingchuan, this man has already run further east to Jiyin Dingtao?"

Hearing this, Xun Yu nodded and said, "That makes sense! Unless he fled alone immediately after Li Jue captured Chang'an, it would be impossible for him to travel this fast if he had moved alongside a large mass of refugees."

Cao Ang chimed in, "For a single man to run all the way from Chang'an to Jiyin in these troubled times, this fellow is no ordinary person!"

Cao Hong asked, "Where is the man?"

Cao Ang replied, "Still in the earth prison at Dingtao. We are just about to register him into the household registry."

Cao Hong commanded, "Dispatch a message immediately to have him brought here. I wish to interrogate him in person!"

"Understood!" Cao Ang acknowledged and immediately departed.

At that moment, Xun Yu stood up and said, "Given such monumental news, I must return to Dongjun immediately to inform my lord! I had originally intended to linger here for a few days, but I am afraid that will no longer be possible."

Cao Hong stood up with a smile. "There will be plenty of time in the future! But is Wenru not curious about the identity of this refugee?"

Xun Yu chuckled dryly. "He is likely just some military officer—perhaps formerly under Dong Zhuo, perhaps under Lü Bu, or even under the Xiliang warlords Ma Teng or Han Sui—who grew weary of slaughter and came here to live in seclusion. For an officer to travel a thousand miles alone is not terribly difficult."

Clearly, Xun Yu did not share Cao Hong's high level of concern.

Cao Hong smiled. "Wenru's reasoning is sound, but since we have captured him, we must question him to see what further news we can glean."

Xun Yu laughed. "Zilian's prudence is a virtue."

As they conversed, the two men descended from the pavilion. Xun Can was playing happily with Cao Jiao, and when Xun Yu called him away, the little fellow looked somewhat reluctant to leave. Cao Hong approached Sheng Meizhen and informed her of the marriage alliance established with the Xun family. Sheng Meizhen's father, Sheng Xian, was also a renowned scholar of the realm with an erudite family background; naturally, he held a favorable view of the Xun family, masters of the Yingchuan Academy. Hearing the news, she was overjoyed and immediately presented two jade pendants carved from fine jade to Xun Can as a token greeting.

After having his son accept the gift, Xun Yu took his leave.

Once Xun Yu and his son had departed, Cao Ang returned to the courtyard and said, "Uncle, I have already instructed my attendants to send a message overnight to Jiuzhong, telling him to dispatch men to bring this fellow here in a prison cart by nightfall. He will arrive in two days."

Cao Hong nodded and asked, "Zixiu, what do you think of Jiuzhong?"

Startled by the question, Cao Ang pondered for a moment before replying, "Jiuzhong is a very interesting person. His speech flows with pearls of wisdom, and his quick-witted mind produces literary compositions far superior to my own. At chess, however, he is slightly inferior to me, losing by the narrowest of margins every time. Yet the more it is so, the more exhilarating I find it."

Hearing this, Cao Hong thought to himself, *I daresay his chess skills are likely far superior to yours as well. Otherwise, how could he manipulate you so precisely? Excellent, to know how to please people at such a tender age—I have not misjudged him!*

Aloud, while pondering these thoughts, he said, "Zixiu, I am also constructing a gambling house here. Since you have come, you shall join Qingmang in supervising the construction, and incidentally help me recruit some dice-rollers and handymen. As for your lodging, you may stay right here."

Upon hearing this, Cao Ang immediately perked up and asked, "Does this gambling house also grant me a twenty percent share?"

Cao Hong laughed and scolded, "It does! You little money-grubber."

Cao Ang immediately cheered and jumped for joy. "At this rate, within ten years, I will be wealthier than my father!" With that, he took his leave and went off to supervise the construction.

Two days later, a prison cart escorted by Jiyin commandery soldiers entered Chengshi County. A man in his early thirties inside the prison cart was transferred down into the earth prison. Cao Hong went personally to the front of the cell holding the man without delay, silently sizing him up.

Cao Hong harbored immense suspicions regarding this "undocumented person" accidentally netted by Wu Meng's household re-registration. He was absolutely certain the man was nothing so simple as a mere officer under some Guanzhong warlord, for no deserter would allow himself to be captured without a fight, let alone openly state that he hailed from Chang'an—a place contested by all sides. The reason was simple: he could not be certain whether the army he previously served bore a grudge against the garrison stationed here. Thus, no deserter would be so foolish.

Yet this man had allowed himself to be caught, and then honestly divulged his origins from Guanzhong and the situation in Chang'an. Such a mixture of truth and falsehood had thrown both Cao Ang and Wu Zhi off balance, prompting them to question him. It was a deliberate creation of chaos; had it been anyone else, even someone as intelligent as Xun Yu, his first thought at this moment would likely have been to report this major news to Cao Cao, rather than paying attention to this accidental "refugee" who had slipped out of Guanzhong.

Such a brilliant method of extrication was identical to the survival tactics used by modern soldiers cut off from their units deep within enemy territory—releasing explosive news to trigger a riot and cause everyone to overlook him.

Cao Hong was a mercenary, so the moment this incident occurred, his attention had immediately locked onto this "refugee."

At this moment, the refugee was also sizing him up, his gaze steady and unwavering, devoid of the slightest panic.

Simultaneously, Cao Hong discovered that this man was actually a trained martial artist whose cultivation had reached the peak of refining vital energy into spirit. Though incomparable to many generals, if he so desired, he could easily secure the rank of a commandant leading a thousand men.

More fascinating still, despite possessing this level of cultivation, the man only had calluses on one hand from friction with weapons, while the other hand remained smooth. One had to realize that anyone marching to war in this era wielded a long weapon, and a soldier trained to his degree would inevitably develop calluses on both hands—much like the Taishan bandit Yi Li. Yet this fellow had calluses on only one hand.

This could only mean one thing: he had exclusively practiced single-handed weapons. Wielding single-handed weapons while possessing such high cultivation implied that his martial arts training was pursued purely as an avocation, guided by a master. Such individuals typically belonged to one of two categories: the privileged sons of high-ranking noble families, or the wealthy scions of affluent households.

Before him, the man wore coarse hemp clothing, making his true identity difficult to discern, yet the calluses on his hand had betrayed him.

After observing him for a long time, Cao Hong waved the guards away, leaving only the man and himself inside the cell.

"What is your esteemed surname and great name?" Cao Hong asked with a smile.

The man replied, "My humble name is Li Wenxu. I am a lowly commoner from Guanzhong, and I have no courtesy name." His voice was flat and even, without the slightest inflection, sounding exceptionally honest and trustworthy.

Cao Hong smiled and said, "Li Wenxu? Ha! A lowly commoner from Guanzhong must surely be engaged in farming. After toiling with agricultural implements for years, why do your hands only have calluses on one side? Could it be that Guanzhong farming tools can be operated with one hand? Is it a single-handed hoe, or a single-handed plow?"

Upon hearing this, the man's complexion changed drastically, and he looked at Cao Hong with a mixture of shock and suspicion. He watched as Cao Hong unlocked the cell door, stepped inside, and smiled calmly at the man who called himself Li Wenxu: "With your level of cultivation, how could you possibly be caught by a few household-registration county soldiers? Or were you afraid that if you fought back, you would alarm a large force and fail to live in peace in Yanzhou? Therefore, you released that intelligence to frighten my nephew into coming to me immediately, and then expected me to be frightened into running straight to my elder brother? After that, you could comfortably live as a law-abiding citizen in Dingtao, right?"

Terror crept across Li Wenxu's face as he stared at Cao Hong as if looking at a monster. Then he heard Cao Hong continue with a smile: "Presumably you had already gathered a great deal of intelligence when you arrived! Wu Meng, the Administrator of Jiyin, is a mediocrity, but the one who calls the shots is I, Cao Hong. However, I am far away in Chengshi County, so you chose Dingtao to settle down—a populous place ruled by a good-for-nothing, alongside two children. What an ideal place to conceal one's identity! Am I right?"

Having one's inner thoughts exposed was an extremely uncomfortable sensation, and that was precisely how Li Wenxu felt at this moment. Regrets churned a thousand times in his heart; originally, he had thought that since Cao Cao had occupied Yanzhou, it would be relatively peaceful, and since Jiyin was governed by a mere military brute, he could conceal his identity and live in anonymity here. He had never expected that this so-called General Who Extols Valor would possess such formidable capabilities.

To be able to look past a world-shaking piece of news and notice his inconspicuous self—he had considered his psychological warfare plan to be airtight, yet it had been seen through by a military man. It was something he had never anticipated.

Watching Li Wenxu's bewildered and shocked expression, Cao Hong smiled again and said, "With heroes rising across the realm today, since your mind is so meticulous, you must be a person of supreme wisdom and talent. The eastern sky is dark while the western sky is bright; if your original lord is no good, you can simply change to another. With so many warlords holding power and asserting independence, surely there is one true master. Why must you conceal your identity and bury your lifelong learning?"

Li Wenxu was, after all, no ordinary figure. Once Cao Hong saw through him, the initial bewilderment was quickly suppressed by sheer willpower. Hearing Cao Hong speak thus, he threw back his head and laughed out loud—a loud, hearty laugh, as if he had heard something immensely ridiculous.

Cao Hong watched him in silence until his laughter subsided, then asked, "What is the esteemed guest laughing at?"

Panting slightly, Li Wenxu said, "I fear that even though the realm may have a true master, no one would ever dare to employ me again!"

Cao Hong asked, "Why? My elder brother appoints men based solely on their abilities; anyone can be employed."

Li Wenxu looked at Cao Hong and said calmly, "Could even the man who poisoned the former emperor be employed?"

Hearing this, Cao Hong was utterly stunned. The former emperor! The former emperor who was poisoned! Was that not the Young Emperor of Han? Could this fellow be...

Li Wenxu! Li Wenxu! Li Ru, whose courtesy name was Wenyou! Good lord, I should have thought of it sooner! It was actually Li Ru, Dong Zhuo's strategist! This fellow was not dead after all, and had even fled right to my doorstep! For a moment, Cao Hong's mind was completely in turmoil.

Watching the silently brooding Cao Hong, Li Ru assumed he was struck speechless upon learning his true identity, and thus sneered, "Since the General has seen through my true identity, I leave myself at the General's disposal!"

Composing his turbulent thoughts, Cao Hong asked calmly, "What brought your esteemed self to my Jiyin Commandery? Now that Li Jue and Guo Si have breached Chang'an, they ought to heavily employ you."

Li Ru replied, "Indeed. After Li Jue entered Chang'an, he immediately memorialized the throne to appoint me as Palace Attendant. However, that fool in the Weiyang Palace resisted unto death, adamantly refusing to approve the edict, and even demanded my life. Jia Xu, Li Jue's strategist, advised him not to harm the Emperor, lest he become the target of all heroes across the realm, so the matter was dropped. I understood in my heart that Liu Xie loathed me to the bone; today he used his life to force the cancellation of my official post, and tomorrow he would use his life to demand my head. If I did not flee, would I not become fish and meat upon his chopping board?"

Cao Hong nodded. "So that is how it was. Put that way, indeed no one in the realm would dare to employ you."

Li Ru smiled. "I ask only for a swift execution from General Cao."

"Who said I was going to kill you?" Cao Hong smiled.