Chapter Ninety-Three: The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry Emerges

The following day, after Cao Hong awoke, Cao Cao summoned him by messenger. When he arrived at the main hall where Cao Cao was seated, he found that besides Cao Cao there were only the two brothers Cao Ren and Cao Chun; no other generals were present. Including himself, all the generals of the Cao family were gathered there.

Cao Cao motioned for Cao Hong to sit, then said, “Zilian, your elder brother is preparing to form a cavalry force. We now happen to have one thousand fine horses, one thousand iron-shafted spears, one thousand hand crossbows, and one thousand forged ring-pommel swords. Just enough to outfit a cavalry of one thousand men. Cavalry is also called a force of sudden separation and convergence: cutting off supply lines, striking enemy formations, and pursuing routed troops are all tasks for which it is especially well suited. With a thousand elite horsemen, the heroes of the realm will no longer dare to look down on our army.”

Cao Hong said, “What Elder Brother says is quite right. Land by boat, war by horse—since we contend for supremacy in the north, we naturally must have a formidable cavalry.”

Cao Cao said, “I have called you here today, Zilian, because I want your opinion. Who should command this cavalry?”

At the words, Cao Hong glanced at Cao Ren and Cao Chun and thought to himself: Since there are only the three of us here, Cao Cao’s choice is clearly among us. Cao Ren and Cao Chun are brothers, so it would not be proper for them to recommend each other. Presumably Cao Cao has already asked them, and the brothers most likely nominated me. That would hardly be strange. Cavalry is an elite force to begin with, and with such fine equipment, how could it be entrusted to an outsider? Not even someone as close as Xiahou Yuan or Xiahou Dun would do.

In history, the one who commanded the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry was Cao Chun, but for some reason he died young. By rights, someone of his cultivation should not have perished so early. So Cao Hong decided to recommend Cao Chun after all. In history, this first commander of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had been well regarded, and both Cao Chun and Cao Ren came from a line of cavalry commanders. Yet Cao Chun’s cultivation exceeded Cao Ren’s, and cavalry was an assault force; naturally, the braver man should lead it.

So Cao Hong said, “I recommend Zihe to command it.”

Cao Chun had never imagined that Cao Hong would recommend him, and he froze in surprise. Just earlier, when Cao Cao had asked Cao Chun, he and his elder brother Cao Hong had both recommended Cao Hong. After all, Cao Hong had once saved Cao Cao’s life and had contributed the most horses, men, and supplies; naturally, the finest cavalry ought to be under his command. Yet he had never expected Cao Hong to recommend him instead.

Cao Cao smiled and asked, “Just now Zixiao and Zihe were both recommending Zilian. Why then does Zilian favor Zihe?”

Cao Hong replied, “Elder Brother, Zixiao is a commander by nature. If he were made to lead a thousand horsemen in the vanguard and break fortified positions, would that not waste his talent? Zihe is superb in horsemanship, valiant in battle, and highly skilled in martial arts. Besides, cavalry ought to be personally directed by Elder Brother; therefore, its commander should be someone in perfect accord with your mind. Zihe serves as a Gentleman of the Palace within the Court of Attendants in Luoyang and has worked with Elder Brother for many years. In terms of the time he has spent at your side, he has surpassed both Zixiao and me. He is therefore the one best able to coordinate with you.”

Cao Cao clapped his hands and laughed. “Well said, Zilian! Zihe, what do you think?”

Cao Chun said excitedly, “I accept the command!” Compared with armies of tens of thousands, what he preferred was an elite force that could stand against a hundred foes with one man. Now that Cao Hong had given him this opportunity, how could he not be thrilled?

Cao Cao said, “Very well. From this day on, the training of the cavalry shall be entrusted to Zihe.” After a pause, he asked the three men, “Regarding the formation of this cavalry, do you have any further suggestions?”

Cao Ren said, “Since it is an elite force, it should have a name.”

Cao Cao nodded. “Indeed. Have you three thought of a good one?”

Cao Hong answered without thinking, “Why not call it the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry?”

The three of them stared at Cao Hong in astonishment. Cao Hong gave an awkward smile and said, “I was only speaking casually.”

Yet Cao Chun said, “Tiger and Leopard Cavalry—what a ferocious and imposing name! It deserves to be called an elite force!”

Cao Ren also nodded. “It is indeed a good name.”

Cao Cao laughed loudly. “Then let it be called the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry!” Clearly, the name that would be passed down through the ages was easy for the three of them to accept. Cao Hong did not know who had originally coined it, but now he had somehow become the one to name it, which struck him as faintly absurd.

Cao Ren then said, “Elder Brother, since this is an elite force, in addition to hand crossbows, long spears, and forged ring-pommel swords, it should also be equipped with fine armor. Not only the men, but the horses as well. Only then will the enemy be cowed at the mere sight of them and collapse in a single battle.”

Cao Cao nodded. “Well said. Just look at Yuan Shao’s scale-armored soldiers, and you know the importance of armor. Now that Zilian has brought back a great sum of money, it can be used to purchase ore, hire skilled artisans, and forge armor for men and horses.”

Cao Hong suddenly thought of the strict dietary regimen he had undergone during mercenary training and said, “Elder Brother, in my humble opinion, besides that, we must also pay special attention to the provisions for this elite force. They cannot be treated like ordinary soldiers. They should be given foods that will strengthen their bodies. In this way, they will feel themselves different from common troops, as befits an elite force, and they will also be able to bear more rigorous training and the weight of superior arms and armor.”

This emphasis on food in raising troops was clearly far ahead of its time, and none of the three—Cao Cao, Cao Ren, or Cao Chun—had ever heard of such a thing. All three were momentarily stunned. Cao Cao asked, “What sort of food can make a man’s body stronger?”

Of course, Cao Hong would not speak of deer antler, tiger bone, or the like. Such things were scarce now—indeed, some did not even exist yet. But one of the simplest things he did know was lard rice. Lard rice was high in calories and not likely to cause constipation. Eat it for two or three months, and one’s weight would rise by about five jin—of course, assuming complete inactivity. It was a low-cost way to replenish energy.

So Cao Hong said, “We can give them rice cooked with lard, or flatbread with lard.”

In truth, lard was a precious thing in this era. There was no peanut oil yet; the oils used by common people were mostly lard, while the luxurious might use fish oil or chicken fat. In the Han dynasty, lard was considered relatively valuable, after all, because it could only be rendered from fatty meat, unlike later ages when peanut oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, and the like filled entire shelves.

Therefore, after hearing Cao Hong’s suggestion, Cao Cao said, “Lard is indeed rich and fragrant. Supplying a thousand men would not be a major difficulty. Since they are elite troops, that is how it should be. I hope they will remember my special favor and fight with all their might.”

Afterward, the four of them discussed a few minor matters. Then Cao Chun took his leave first to begin training the cavalry. Cao Cao next said to Cao Ren and Cao Hong, “The newly recruited troops have not yet been assigned. I intend to reorganize them over the next few days. Until then, Zixiao will be responsible for training them. As for you, Zilian, select four thousand men to serve as my personal guard camp.”

After Cao Ren and Cao Hong acknowledged the order, they also took their leave.