Chapter 009: The General Lays Down His Armor

Night had fallen over the temporary villa. After ensuring Lady Zou was settled, Cao Xin returned to his study and penned two letters, dispatching them to Military Advisor Cheng Yu and Chief Clerk Mao Jie.

In these letters, he recounted how Cao Hong had led troops to surround Zhang Xiu’s residence, demanding Lady Zou by force. He remarked that such behavior, if it became known, would tarnish Lord Cao’s reputation. Cao Xin urged the two to intervene, advising Lord Cao to take Duke Zhou and Duke Shao as his models, maintaining his virtue and setting an example as a worthy Prime Minister.

Once the messengers had departed, Cao Xin removed his armor and prepared for a bath.

There came a gentle knock at the door.

“Come in!”

He thought it was a servant bringing hot water, but when the door opened, Lady Liniang entered, carrying a tray of food. She walked in gracefully, her steps as delicate as lotus petals.

“What brings you here, my lady?” Cao Xin asked, somewhat surprised.

Lady Liniang smiled faintly, a blush blooming on her cheeks before she could even speak.

“General, I heard you haven’t had supper. I took the liberty of borrowing the kitchen and prepared a bowl of sweet rice dumpling soup for you. I hope you won’t mind.”

Cao Xin regarded the woman before his desk. As the saying goes, a beauty is most enchanting by lamplight; mourning attire only enhances allure; and a woman who can cook is the loveliest of all. The woman before him possessed all three qualities. Dressed in a plain white gown, her freshly cleansed features were even more exquisite; every expression seemed to tug at a man’s heart.

Lady Zou’s cheeks grew more flushed under his gaze, but she met his eyes stubbornly. “General, do you hesitate because you fear I may have poisoned the soup?”

Cao Xin burst out laughing, then suddenly stopped. “To tell the truth, yes.” His resistance was not high; he was not immune to all poisons, so he was always cautious about what he ate.

Lady Zou looked slightly aggrieved. She lifted her sleeve, revealing a pale, jade-like wrist, ladled out a small bowl of soup, and took a few sips herself.

“Are you reassured now, General?” she asked, setting the bowl down.

Cao Xin nodded slightly.

Lady Zou let out a breath of relief, picked up another small wooden bowl, and was about to serve him.

“My lady, I’ve heard of a method where poison is smeared on the rim of the bowl. Please use your own bowl to serve me.”

Lady Zou froze, a flash of embarrassment and irritation crossing her face, her eyes reddening at once.

“Ah, don’t cry, my lady. I was only joking!” Cao Xin chuckled, taking the ladle himself and filling a bowl, then filling Lady Liniang’s as well.

“You should have some more yourself. There’s plenty of soup.”

Lady Liniang gazed at him silently, not even blinking.

Cao Xin shrugged, took a sip of the soup, and nodded in satisfaction. “Your cooking is excellent, my lady—better than the palace chefs in Xuchang. Thank you.”

Lady Liniang lowered her head, murmuring softly as she held her small bowl. “These days, you often come to practice martial arts at the Zhang residence. The servants always praise you, calling you a man of honor, a great hero—yet here you are, bullying a helpless woman.”

Cao Xin looked a little embarrassed and laughed. “They’re mistaken. I’m no gentleman or hero—just a bandit chief. Back in my days in Qingzhou and Xuzhou, when we ran out of supplies, I’d lead raids on wealthy households. The big families in Qing and Xu saw me as a scourge and called me ‘Cao the Thief.’ How could someone like me be a man of principle?”

“General, you mustn’t belittle yourself,” Lady Liniang said softly, pressing her red lips together. “I’ve heard you only robbed the rich and heartless, taking grain, salt, and iron but never lives. You drove out bandits and Yellow Turban rebels, saving countless people.”

“Oh? You seem to know quite a lot.” Cao Xin laughed.

Lady Liniang flushed faintly. “I also heard that two years ago, when the Prime Minister campaigned against Xuzhou and planned to massacre the city, it was you who dared speak out, saying, ‘He who wins the people’s hearts wins the world. The people can bear up a boat or capsize it. Whether the state rises or falls, the people suffer.’ Anyone who can say such things can’t be a villain.”

A gentle smile played at the corners of her lips.

Cao Xin laughed heartily.

Back in the third year of Chuping, 192 AD, Cao Cao had pacified the Yellow Turban Army of Qingzhou, taking over three hundred thousand surrendered troops and forming the Qingzhou Army. He then helped Yuan Shao defeat Liu Bei, Shan Jing, and Tao Qian, the governor of Xuzhou, thus making an enemy of Tao Qian.

In the spring of the fourth year of Chuping, Cao Cao routed Yuan Shu, the Black Mountain Army, and the Southern Xiongnu at Kuangting. Taking advantage of Cao Cao’s rear being exposed, Tao Qian led his forces into Rencheng in southern Yanzhou, nearly costing Cao Cao his base. Cao Cao retaliated, capturing over ten cities in Xuzhou. That same year, Tao Qian sent assassins after the Cao family; if not for Cao Xin’s timely intervention, half the Cao clan would have perished. The feud only deepened.

For the next two years, the two sides fought back and forth, until Tao Qian died in the fourth year, and Cao Cao turned on Liu Bei and Lü Bu.

Because Xuzhou was populous and hard to govern, it consumed much manpower. After capturing the cities, Cao Cao wanted to massacre them and be done with it. Cao Xin thought such cruelty was intolerable and could not bring himself to do it; he quoted many famous sayings to urge Cao Cao not to kill indiscriminately, warning that it would cost him the people’s support. Cao Cao did not wholly listen. If anyone in the city dared rebel, he would still draw his sword without mercy.

Cao Xin shook his head and drank another bowl of meat soup.

Lady Liniang, sleeves rolled up, served him more soup, her delicate hands ladling out the fragrant broth, whetting his appetite all the more.

“General!”

Liao Hua called from outside the door.

“What is it?”

“General, Cao Hong is here with a command from the Prime Minister, demanding you send Lady Zou to him at once.”

Ah—

Lady Zou’s hand trembled and the wooden spoon fell into the pot.

“Don’t worry, leave it to me,” Cao Xin reassured her. Then, turning to Liao Hua outside, he ordered, “Yuanjian, tell Cao Hong I’m asleep and cannot receive orders. Whatever it is, it can wait until morning. Tell the brothers to take positions on the walls, bows drawn and arrows nocked; if anyone tries to force their way in, shoot them—not to kill, just to wound. If they make a fuss, we’ll pay for their injuries with soup money.”

“Yes, General!”

Liao Hua bowed and left.

“General, will you not be punished by the Prime Minister for this? If you suffer on my account, my life could never atone for it,” Lady Liniang wept softly, biting her lip.

“Why are you crying again?” Cao Xin handed her a silk handkerchief. “Don’t worry, the Prime Minister and I are brothers—closer than you think. Not just a written order, even a military command—if it’s wrong, I’ll defy it. At worst, I’ll get a scolding later. It’s not a big deal.”

“General, you mustn’t be careless,” Lady Liniang replied in a low voice, folding the handkerchief. “As the saying goes, the more you use up good will, the less you have. Though you and the Prime Minister are brothers, it’s best not to take it lightly. Frequent quarrels with him won’t do you any good... Forgive me for speaking out of turn. You’re wise beyond measure; you don’t need advice from a woman like me.”

Cao Xin looked at her and smiled gently. Rising to his feet, he asked, “Liniang, would you help me remove my armor?”

“Ah?” Lady Liniang’s face flushed scarlet. Cao Xin was down to his inner armor and underclothes—helping him remove the last layer was an intimate act, usually reserved for a wife.

“Are you joking, General?”

Cao Xin shook his head, gazing at her radiant face, as lovely as a blooming rose. Untying the straps of his inner armor, he said, “In these troubled times, beauty is a curse for women. Some choose the right man and enjoy peace; others choose poorly and wander endlessly, or grow old alone. Most often, you have no choice at all. Tonight, because you made soup for me, I’ll give you a choice. You may return to the Zhang residence, go to the Prime Minister’s mansion, or stay here with me. Whatever you decide, I’ll see it done. You have one night to consider your future.”

Lady Liniang’s face turned from red to pale. After a moment’s silence, she rose, summoned her courage, and stepped before him, helping him untie the cords of his inner armor.

Cao Xin smiled, pinching her burning cheek. “Congratulations, Liniang. You’ve chosen well.”

Lady Liniang lowered her head, blushing even deeper.

Cao Xin laughed heartily.

“General, the hot water is ready,” the old servant called from outside.

“Bring it in!”

As the door opened, shouts, curses, and cries of pain echoed from the courtyard outside. Cao Xin shook his head and closed the door again.

With Liao Hua and the others guarding the entrance, he was entirely at ease.

——