Sixty: The Necessity of a Sovereign

Cao Hong and Cao Cao shared a single horse, galloping madly westward along the northern slopes of Mount Mang. By this time, Cao Cao had already snapped off the arrow lodged in his calf; though the arrowhead remained embedded in the flesh, he had hastily bandaged the wound, so his leg was no longer bleeding.

Cao Cao spoke, “Zilian, with both of us riding one horse, our speed is limited. If the enemy sends elite cavalry in pursuit, I fear there will be nowhere for us to escape.”

Hearing this, Cao Hong tugged the reins and halted. He dismounted and said to Cao Cao, “Elder brother, you must ride on westward and flee. I will stay here to draw away the pursuers for you. After you cover another ten li, you may let the horse run on, then slip into the northern forests of Mount Mang. Once you cross the ridge, you can return to Suanzao.”

Cao Cao was deeply moved. “How could I let my worthy brother take such a risk on my behalf!”

Cao Hong, inwardly amused, outwardly declared with righteous resolve, “The world can do without Hong, but not without you!”

Cao Cao’s eyes grew moist at these words. “If that is so, my worthy brother, take care!”

Cao Hong smiled, gave the horse a slap, and it carried Cao Cao swiftly westward.

Once Cao Cao departed, Cao Hong climbed up an old locust tree by the roadside. He broke off five branches, quickly sharpened them, and crouched in the foliage, eyes fixed on the path.

His plan was simple: if he spotted enemy cavalry in pursuit, he would immediately hurl the sharpened branches to fell the leading horses, blocking the pursuers behind. Then he would leap to the next locust tree and slip into the northern forests of Mount Mang. With this delay, he reckoned Cao Cao would surely escape.

Sure enough, before long, hoofbeats echoed, growing closer. To Cao Hong’s surprise, only a single pursuer appeared. After a moment, he saw clearly—one man and one horse—it was Zhang Xiu, with whom he had previously crossed swords amid the chaos.

Zhang Xiu was riding at full speed, oblivious to the ambush lurking in the locust tree.

Cao Hong sneered inwardly: “The brat said three rounds would be enough to kill me! Though I won’t take your life today, you’ll suffer for it!” He silently counted Zhang Xiu’s pace, estimating when he would enter range.

Zhang Xiu sat astride his horse, spear in hand, deeply frustrated. He was a proud man. Lü Fengxian could force Tang Yu to retreat—he was a master among masters, and Zhang Xiu conceded he was somewhat inferior. But lately, he’d been bested by a hulking warrior wielding twin halberds, forced into disadvantage, then blocked by a lowly swordsman clad in armor, and finally thrown off his horse by a younger general.

He considered these recent days the unluckiest of his life. So when Cao Cao’s forces shattered Hu Feng’s troops and Xu Rong had lost interest in pursuit, Zhang Xiu still decided to try his luck alone, hoping most of all to encounter that young general with the Han sword for another duel.

“That brat’s strength is no match for mine! He only managed to knock me from my horse out of sheer bravado—arrogant words, deserves to die!” Zhang Xiu brooded as he rode.

As he passed beneath an old locust tree, a shower of leafy branches suddenly descended upon him. Zhang Xiu’s heart sank—“An ambush!” He jerked the reins, and his famed Xiliang steed reared upright. With a flourish, he swept aside the branches with his spear, moving with elegance and composure.

But as he cleared the branches, his mount let out a pitiful cry, leaping forward. Zhang Xiu lost his balance, quickly squeezed his thighs to steady himself, glanced at the horse’s hindquarters, and saw two branches jutting from its rump. He realized the ambusher had used the noise as a diversion, the real attack aimed to cripple his horse.

Zhang Xiu was furious, but before he could curse, two more branches flew through the air, striking the horse’s hind legs. The steed cried out again, and its front hooves touched down at that precise moment—a masterful timing.

Zhang Xiu knew his horse was finished. If he did not abandon it, once its hind legs landed, it would surely collapse. If the ambusher struck again as he fell, he would have no hope of escape. In desperation, he shouted, swung his spear to guard himself, and leapt from the saddle.

Now fully alert, Zhang Xiu marveled that a routed army could dare set such a bold ambush, disabling his horse with a single move, using diversion and precise timing. Such cunning and skill were rare indeed. He silently applauded, “Cao’s army truly has its share of talents!”

Yet after landing safely, he saw no sign of ambushers. The old locust tree above had a large section stripped bare, clearly hacked away.

Still puzzled, he heard a long laugh from deep within the northern forest. Zhang Xiu recognized the voice—it was the self-proclaimed Cao Zilian from Peiguo.

“General Zhang, you are bold indeed. Why not chase me into the woods and see?”

Zhang Xiu shouted angrily, “You knave, attacking from the shadows! If you have the courage, face me in open combat!”

Earlier, as Zhang Xiu passed by, Cao Hong had hacked off a thick branch and kicked it toward him, then used the opportunity to throw sharpened branches—two at the horse’s rump, two at its legs—successfully crippling Zhang Xiu’s mount, and slipped quietly into the northern forest.

Now, Cao Hong gripped a branch as thick as a calf, wedged against a tree trunk. The branch, still attached, was bent into a crescent by his pull. If Zhang Xiu dared enter, Cao Hong would cut the trunk, and the spring-loaded branch would whip at Zhang Xiu. Then he would hurl his last sharpened branch for a surprise attack, and finally unleash his unnamed weapon in a thunderous blow. Even if Zhang Xiu’s skills were supreme, he would at least be seriously wounded, if not killed outright.

For a mercenary, exploiting the terrain was mere child’s play. Yet, regrettably, Zhang Xiu was not fooled. Cao Hong sighed inwardly, sneered aloud, “You talk of open combat, yet you set ambushes and rain arrows upon men. Such childish words—how can you utter them so shamelessly? I am leaving now. Brother Boluan, we shall meet again in Wan City!”

Having shaken off a formidable foe and ensured Cao Cao’s safety, Cao Hong, flush with success, let slip a reference to events years yet to come—Wan City, where Zhang Xiu would ambush Cao Cao and kill Dian Wei and Cao Ang.

Zhang Xiu was momentarily bewildered by Cao Hong’s words, not understanding his intent. Just then, a rustling sound erupted from where Cao Hong had spoken, and a branch as thick as a calf lashed out like a serpent, startling Zhang Xiu. He realized that had he pursued, such a branch would have struck him.

Cautiously entering the woods, Zhang Xiu found the ground littered with broken branches and leaves, the shrubs and thinner trunks all swept aside by the strike. The thick branch still jutted from the tree at an angle. Spotting a trunk cut cleanly, Zhang Xiu understood Cao Hong’s trick and felt a chill.

He muttered, “Such cunning! Had I chased into the forest, my fate would have been grim indeed!”

Gazing at the dense forest, Zhang Xiu sighed, knowing he had underestimated his opponent. If he continued pursuit, there was no telling what other traps Cao Zilian might have set. He withdrew from the woods, abandoning the chase, and turned back.

He pondered, “Why did he say ‘see you in Wan City’? Isn’t Wan City currently occupied by Yuan Gonglu? This man’s mind and methods are unfathomable—even his words are enigmatic.”

At this moment, Zhang Xiu had been left with a deep impression of Cao Hong.