Chapter Seventy-Nine: Setting Foot on the Journey Home

The next day, the prefectural hall was filled with distinguished guests. The Governor of Yangzhou, Chen Wen; the Prefect of Lujiang, Liu Xun; the heads of the four great families, as well as representatives from noble clans across the counties of Yangzhou, all came to attend Cao Xiu’s coming-of-age ceremony.

The ceremony itself was grand and formal. On this occasion, Lu Qian delivered a lengthy oration, praising Cao Xiu’s diligence in study, his modest character, his self-restraint, and his benevolence and intelligence. He even listed all the books Cao Xiu had read, making it clear that the young man’s breadth of knowledge already met the standards required for the capping rite.

This was the first time that Cao Hong had witnessed another’s coming-of-age ceremony. In his memory, his own ceremony had been presided over by the renowned scholar of the court, He Xiu. To invite this esteemed academician, Cao Ding not only spent a great sum of money but also traveled in person to Luoyang to persuade him to journey south to Yangzhou.

As for He Xiu, while those familiar with the history of the Three Kingdoms might not know him well, to Cao Hong, a superlative mercenary well-versed in the classics, He Xiu was a figure of great renown. If Zheng Xuan was considered the greatest Confucian scholar at the end of the Han, then He Xiu was the only one who could stand as his equal. Scholars of the time called Zheng Xuan “The Divine Interpreter of the Classics,” referring to his precise and insightful commentaries on ancient texts. The academic atmosphere of the Han was not so different from later generations—ancient texts were scrutinized line by line, annotated, and then reinterpreted to create works with fresh insights. Cao Cao’s “A Brief Explanation of Sunzi” was just such a commentary on the Art of War.

Zheng Xuan was said to have annotated all the Confucian classics, including the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Changes, the Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals, as well as the Jing’s Book of Changes, the Gongyang Commentary, the Three Systems Calendar, and the Nine Chapters on Arithmetic. His works were profound and thought-provoking, gaining widespread recognition. Even eminent families, such as the Yuans and the Yangs—who traced their lineage and scholarly heritage to the classics—held his academic achievements in the highest esteem.

He Xiu, on the other hand, was called “The Sea of Learning,” not for the sheer volume of his writings like Zheng Xuan, but for his unparalleled erudition. He achieved fame by annotating the Guliang Commentary, another Confucian classic. Before his work, several families regarded the Guliang Commentary as a family canon. Yet, upon the publication of his “Guliang’s Crippling Maladies” in three volumes, that text was instantly dismissed as literary dross.

The title “Guliang’s Crippling Maladies” implied that the problems within the Guliang Commentary were as debilitating as paralysis, hard to recover from. The purpose was to challenge and overturn the orthodox interpretations of the past—a task demanding the highest scholarly ability. Without deep mastery of the text, no one would dare refute the revered classics. Yet He Xiu had precisely this ability. After his work appeared, even the clans that had specialized in the Guliang Commentary fell silent, and scholars began to regard the text as worthless, ceasing to study it.

After that, He Xiu wrote “The Hidden Maladies of Zuo’s Commentary” and “The Dogged Defenses of Gongyang,” refuting both the Zuo and Gongyang Commentaries. He laid bare the flaws of these ancient works, and together, these three books became known as the “Three Impregnable Towers,” so named because their theories were so subtle and profound as to be unattainable, like three lofty palaces.

The identity of the principal guest at a capping ceremony held great significance for a young man. It was said that the higher the virtue of the guest, the greater the child’s future achievements. But in Cao Hong’s eyes, the guest’s status was more a sign of the elders’ esteem and affection for the younger generation.

When Cao Hong came of age, Cao Ding invited “the Sea of Learning,” He Xiu, as an expression of his indulgent love for his nephew and his hopes for Cao Hong’s future. Now, for Cao Xiu’s ceremony, Cao Ding had invited Lu Qian, showing the same meticulous care for his grandson. When Cao Hong underwent his ceremony, it was several years earlier. The Yellow Turban Rebellion had not yet broken out, and although the Han court had suffered from the Partisan Prohibitions, the empire was not yet in chaos. At that time, a scholar as principal guest was an ideal choice.

Now, however, the emperor was exiled, the imperial order had collapsed, and the land was in turmoil. In such times, having a powerful and capable patron for the capping ceremony was far more practical. At the very least, if the Cao family were to fall, Cao Xiu could still rely on Lu Qian, his principal guest. Watching as Lu Qian placed the cap on Cao Xiu’s head, Cao Hong felt a renewed respect for Cao Ding. This elder, unknown to history, had truly spared no effort for the younger generation of the Cao family.

Of course, fifteen-year-old Cao Xiu could not comprehend his grandfather’s painstaking efforts. Only Cao Hong, standing as both a participant in history and an observer, could sense such deep-seated feelings. He looked toward Cao Ding, who was now gazing at Cao Xiu with a face full of relief, as though a heavy burden had been set aside.

At that moment, Cao Ding’s gaze turned to Cao Hong. Sensing his nephew’s eyes upon him, Cao Ding offered a smile of utter relief. Seated in the place of honor, Cao Ding presided over the ceremony, while Cao Hong sat below, accompanying the guests. Between them were many other attendees and bustling servants, making the scene lively and noisy. Taking advantage of the distraction, Cao Hong offered Cao Ding a distant salute, an unspoken tribute to his elder’s devotion. Cao Ding was momentarily surprised, then realized his nephew understood his intentions, and his smile grew even more content.

“Zilian has matured greatly through his trials,” Cao Ding thought to himself. “He must have seen my intentions. Since that is so, I can entrust Awang to him and be at ease.”

When the ceremony concluded, musicians and singers performed, and exquisite dishes were brought out. Cao Xiu now received his courtesy name: Wenlie.

During the banquet, members of the great Yangzhou clans who had done business with Cao Hong came to toast him. Cao Hong greeted them all with a smile. Liu Xun, when offering a toast, joked, “Zilian, you certainly know how to enjoy life! To think that in my own commandery was such beauty and I never knew—yet you managed to find her. What a shame.”

Cao Hong laughed heartily. “Are there not fair flowers everywhere under heaven?”

Gu Yong, standing nearby, smiled and said, “Zilian, your words are poetry itself. To say that fair flowers bloom everywhere truly speaks for all men.”

Cao Hong lifted his cup to Gu Yong and said, “Yuantan, when I march north again, I do not know when I will next return to Yangzhou. Please, look after the Sheng family’s sons in my absence. And for those servants unwilling to follow me north, I hope you’ll see they do not go hungry.”

Gu Yong replied, “Zilian, we have been friends for over ten years. If I cannot manage this, all Yangzhou would laugh at me! But as you journey north, I wish you swift and certain victory.”

Cao Hong clinked cups with Gu Yong and said with a smile, “Thank you, Yuantan, for your kind words.”

The toasts and laughter continued, and when the guests finally dispersed, Cao Hong took his leave of Cao Ding and Sheng Xian.

The two elders gave little advice, merely wishing him well. Thereupon, Cao Hong departed the prefecture with Liu Ye, Shi A, Sheng Meizhen, the Qiao sisters, and fifty soldiers from Xiangyi County. They made for the barracks in Wu County, preparing to lead soldiers, conscripts, laborers, family members, livestock, and military supplies northward. Among them, of course, was Cao Hong’s nephew, Cao Xiu.