Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1248 The Heart of Changing Heirs: Xu You Demands Debt

The spring breeze of Qiao County carried the scent of medicine, seeping into the windows of Cao Cao's residence. Since the battle of Xuchang last winter, although Cao Cao had broken Zhuge Liang's Eight Trigrams Formation with Guo Jia's painstaking efforts, he had also lost Guo Jia, his "extraordinary advisor," and nine generals, suffering heavy losses. Although it was a Pyrrhic victory, it was in reality a devastating blow to his morale. After returning to Qiao County, his headaches worsened day by day, and he often coughed up blood, confining him to bed.

Inside the room, the medicine on the stove was bubbling away. Cao Pi carefully carried the freshly brewed medicine bowl to the bedside and said, "Father, it's time to drink your medicine."

Cao Cao lay on the couch, his face sallow and his eyes sunken. Hearing this, he simply waved his hand and said in a hoarse voice, "Leave it."

Cao Pi placed the medicine bowl on the table and noticed a few more strands of white hair at his father's temples, a pang of sorrow gripping his heart. Lately, his father had him stand by his side, watching him review documents and listen to reports on important military and political matters. Though not explicitly stated, his father had subtly entrusted him with these responsibilities. Yet, the more this was done, the more uneasy he felt. His mother, Lady Ding's, attitude was like a thorn in his heart.

The other day, in front of all the concubines, Lady Ding pointed at Cao Cao's nose and questioned him: "Ang'er is guarding Xuzhou, but you have entrusted all the important military and state affairs to Pi'er. Have you forgotten who the eldest son is?" Cao Cao was so angry that he coughed for a long time, but in the end he did not say anything.

Cao Pi knew that his mother had always favored his eldest brother, Cao Ang. Lady Ding's family was quite influential in Yanzhou, and these days they had secretly sent people to Xuzhou to persuade Cao Ang: "Our lord is seriously ill, and the second son is gradually gaining power. If the eldest son does not return to Qiao County, he may lose his position as heir."

Cao Pi had heard some of these rumors, but he could only pretend not to know. His elder brother was both the legitimate son and the eldest son; what could he possibly do against him? He walked to the bedside and said softly, "Father, Mother was just worried about your health. She was too harsh with her words that day. I hope you won't take it to heart."

Cao Cao slowly opened his eyes, glanced at him, his gaze cloudy yet scrutinizing: "Your elder brother... any news?"

“My elder brother sent a letter saying that the defenses of Xuzhou are secure, but he is worried about Father’s illness and wanted to come back to visit him. After you rejected his request, he focused on guarding the city and never mentioned it again,” Cao Pi said, bowing his head.

Cao Cao grunted in acknowledgment, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Go and fetch the military report that Xun You sent yesterday, and read it to me."

Cao Pi hurriedly retrieved the military report and read it aloud word by word. It contained nothing more than information about Liu Bei's movements in Jingzhou, Ma Chao's offensive in Yizhou, and Zhou Yu's naval mobilization in Jiangdong. Halfway through, Cao Cao suddenly interrupted, "Do you think Liu Bei's entry into Sichuan is a blessing or a curse?"

Cao Pi paused for a moment, then said carefully, "Liu Bei has always been ambitious. Liu Zhang's decision to bring him into Sichuan is like inviting a wolf into the house. If Ma Chao were to fight Liu Bei in Yizhou, it would be advantageous for our army."

Cao Cao coughed a few times and nodded: "You have some insight. Remember, in chaotic times, if you don't fight, you won't have a foothold, but if you fight too hastily, you'll only bring trouble upon yourself." He looked at Cao Pi, "Your elder brother is too sentimental; you are calm, but you need to guard against arrogance and impetuosity."

Cao Pi's heart skipped a beat, and he wanted to press his father for his opinion, but he saw that Cao Cao had already closed his eyes, seemingly exhausted. He quietly withdrew and walked to the corridor, gazing at the fallen withered leaves in the courtyard, and smiled bitterly to himself. His father had allowed him to be involved in military and political affairs, yet his stance remained ambiguous; his mother favored his eldest brother, and her family's influence was stirring; his eldest brother was far away in Xuzhou, and although it wasn't explicitly stated, it made him hesitant to act rashly. This struggle for the throne had quietly begun to unfold while his father was gravely ill.

On the city walls of Xuzhou, Cao Ang gazed south towards Qiao County, clutching a secret letter from Lady Ding's family, his brow furrowed. The letter read, "Father's illness is unpredictable, Pi'er is gaining power, the eldest son should return quickly," but his father's command still echoed in his ears: "Xuzhou is a vital fortress in the southeast, it cannot be left lightly." He sighed, crumpled the letter, and threw it into the brazier: "Father has his own arrangements; I only need to guard Xuzhou, and that will be fulfilling my filial duty."

The wind in Qiao County continues to blow.

Cao Cao leaned back on the couch, gazing at the patterns on the tent ceiling. The image of Guo Jia kept flashing before his eyes—that strategist who could see through people's hearts and calculate the world's affairs, who always offered him a plan when he was most hesitant. But now, he was the only one left in the tent, staring blankly at the documents piled up on the table.

"Fengxiao..." he murmured softly, his knuckles tapping the table with a dull sound. Although he had Xun You, Cheng Yu, Man Chong, and Jiang Ji under his command, all of whom were wise strategists, Xun You emphasized the law, Cheng Yu was still fierce, Man Chong was good at criminal law, and Jiang Ji was good at adapting to changing circumstances. However, none of them could see through the whole situation at a glance amidst a thousand threads of complexity, and make a grand strategy for the world while talking and laughing.

He thought of Cao Ang, his steady and kind eldest son. Over the years, he had personally taught Cao Ang military strategy and political affairs, and had been satisfied with watching him govern Xuzhou so well. But Cao Ang was too sentimental. With such a temperament, he was good at maintaining the status quo, but not at becoming a hero. In chaotic times, being soft-hearted and soft-hearted was a path to death.

Then he thought of Cao Pi, who had become increasingly composed lately. He served Cao Cao's patients without complaint and handled state affairs with clarity and order. Even Xun You privately praised him, saying he "had the same demeanor as his father." But Cao Cao knew in his heart that although Cao Pi was shrewd, he lacked openness. If he were to succeed Cao Pi, how would he explain it to Cao Ang?

Cao Ang was both the legitimate son and the eldest son, and had never made a mistake. The clan members, such as Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren, had always only recognized this eldest nephew. If Cao Pi were to be installed as emperor rashly, how could these powerful clan generals who held military power be willing to accept it? At that time, even without external attacks, their own family would be thrown into chaos, and the foundation he had worked so hard to build would likely be destroyed in an instant.

The wind blowing through Xuzhou carried the dampness of the Huai River. Cao Ang leaned on the railing, gazing south towards Qiao County, his brow furrowed. The news of his father's serious illness weighed heavily on his heart, and Xu You's urgent messages only compounded his distress. In less than half a month, Xu You had already sent messengers twice to inquire when the agreed-upon ten cartloads of goods would be delivered to Jizhou.

"General, Xu You's men are still waiting for a reply at the post station," the lieutenant reported in a low voice.

Cao Ang sighed, turned and walked down the city wall: "Prepare some silver to appease them first. Tell them that the funds are being raised and will be sent soon." He was stationed in Xuzhou, and all his provisions and military equipment needed to be allocated by Cao Cao. How could he dare to use ten cartloads of supplies on his own? He wanted to return to Qiao County to ask his father in person, but his father's reply was only one sentence: "Xuzhou is the gateway to the southeast. You cannot leave without permission."

Left with no other choice, he wrote a long letter to Cao Cao, explaining the reasons in detail:

"Father, Xu You has twice demanded money. I am stationed in Xuzhou and dare not touch the treasury, so I ask you to make a decision. Also, Tian Feng and Ju Shou of Jizhou have been imprisoned for over a year and are practically useless. Xu You is greedy, and if we offer more money, we might be able to persuade Yuan Shao to release them. I have already secretly contacted Ju Shou's son, Ju Hu, who said that if we can rescue his father, he is willing to bring his whole family to join us. Both Tian and Ju are capable of serving as advisors to kings; if they can join our army, it will be a great achievement..."

After finishing the letter, he read it over several times and added a sentence: "I know that Father is seriously ill and should not bother you with trivial matters. However, Xu You is pressing us very hard. If we can obtain Tian and Ju, it will be of great benefit to our army. I hope Father will think it over carefully."

After entrusting the letter to a trusted confidant to be delivered to Qiao County by fast horse, Cao Ang summoned the secret envoy who was in contact with Ju Hu: "Go and tell Ju Hu to wait patiently, and I will definitely find a way to get his father out of prison."

The envoy departed with the mission, but Cao Ang remained unsettled. He knew Xu You's nature—insatiable greed. Ten cartloads of wealth would likely not satisfy his appetite, but if he wasn't satisfied, the previous agreement would fall through, not to mention the possibility of rescuing Tian Feng and Ju Shou from under Yuan Shao's nose. As for his father, his illness was severe, and it was uncertain whether he could attend to this matter.

A few days later, a reply arrived from Qiao County, but the handwriting was Cao Pi's: "After reading the letter, Father instructed me to tell my elder brother: Xu You's wealth can be transferred from the reserve treasury in Xuzhou, and this must be done properly. As for the matter of Tian and Ju, Father said, 'Yuan Shao is suspicious, and although Xu You is greedy, I'm afraid he will not succeed.' He told my elder brother not to have too high hopes and to keep Xu You in check for now."

Cao Ang looked at the letter, feeling somewhat relieved—at least the matter of finances was settled. But he still felt that talents like Tian Feng and Ju Shou, if brought under his command, would surely help his father achieve great things. He gazed towards the northern province of Ji, secretly pondering: perhaps, if he prepared more treasures, Xu You might really have a way?

The wind still blew in Xuzhou, and the secret envoys below the city walls were preparing to set off again, carrying Cao Ang's instructions and new promises, heading towards Jizhou. Meanwhile, on his sickbed in Qiao County, Cao Cao looked at the reply copied by Cao Pi and sighed softly. How could he not know the talents of Tian and Ju? It was just that Yuan Shao's intentions were unpredictable, and Xu You was fickle; this matter was unlikely to succeed.

The accounts of the Xuzhou treasury were laid out on the table. Cao Ang stared at the numbers, his brows furrowed. The treasury's wealth, after much scraping and gathering, barely amounted to ten cartloads. He secretly sent these goods to Jizhou, along with his request to secretly rescue Tian Feng and Ju Shou.

When the ten cartloads of valuables arrived at the mansion, Xu You was squatting beside the chests, rummaging through them. His fingers traced the boxes of gold, silver, and silk, his eyes practically overflowing with greed. He said happily, "Nephew Zixiu is indeed a man of his word, always keeping his promises. When you get back, please give my regards to your general. Tell him that I, Xu You, thank Cao Cao and my nephew for their generosity, hahaha..."

Cao Ang's personal guard bowed and relayed his lord's words verbatim: "My general has another matter. Mr. Tian and Mr. Ju are both men of great talent, but it is a pity that Yuan Shao cannot use them. Are they not burying their talents in prison? We would like to ask Lord Xu to rescue them. If you can succeed, you will be richly rewarded. We hope you will do your best to help us."

Xu You suddenly sat up straight, dusted off his hands, and his greedy expression instantly turned into scheming. He sneered, "Tian Feng and Ju Shou? Cao Ang dares to speak so boldly. These two were imprisoned by order of Lord Yuan himself. The matter is of great importance. How could I possibly make the decision?" Xu You closed his eyes and pondered for a moment. He pointed to the courtyard gate and said, "Go back and tell Cao Ang to add fifteen more carts. Not a single cart less is acceptable."

The guard looked troubled: "Sir, ten cartloads is already the best my general has done to raise, let alone fifteen more..."

"Can't do it?" Xu You raised an eyebrow and kicked the chest next to him. "Tian Feng and Ju Shou are important officials in Hebei. Not to mention Lord Yuan, even the Third Young Master is watching. How much risk is involved? Moreover, these fifteen carts of treasure are not just for me. I also need Feng Ji's assistance. Otherwise, without his cover, I simply cannot do it. I will keep at most five carts of treasure. The other ten are for Feng Ji. Go back and tell Zixiu that it's not that I, as his uncle, don't want to help, but it's really difficult. Also, these two, every extra day they stay in prison increases their danger. Don't say I didn't warn him!" After saying that, he turned his back, looking like there was no room for negotiation. However, his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the jade pendant he had just picked up, and greed crept up his eyes again.