Chapter Eight: Testing the Waters

On the fourth day of May, in the city of Xiangben.

Cao Cao’s army had nearly exterminated all in Xiapi, corpses piled high as mountains, clogging the Si River so its waters ceased to flow.

After the massacre at Xiapi, Cao Cao marched north, intent on destroying Tao Qian.

Previously, Liu Bei and Kong Rong had dispatched troops to repel Cao Cao’s peripheral forces, but now the main army approached, fierce as wolves and tigers, and Tao Qian could not withstand them.

Thus, Tao Qian ordered Liu Bei, Kong Rong, and the others not to leave the city, to fortify their defenses and wait for the enemy to tire, letting Cao Cao take the initiative in attacking.

Cao Cao launched several probing assaults, but failed to breach Yanxian. He then stationed his troops at Xiangben, planning to slaughter the surrounding regions, but found that the people of Xiangben County had mostly fled, leaving no one to kill.

Within the county office, Cao Cao’s temporary residence, dusk had fallen. He had just reviewed the army's grain supplies, having prepared thoroughly this time after previously retreating due to shortages.

At that moment, Cao Ren hurried in to report. “Elder brother.”

Cao Cao was surprised. “Zixiao, why have you returned?”

He had sent Cao Ren to slaughter the countryside around counties like Lanling, Wuyuan, and Fuyang, which should have taken at least four or five days.

Unexpectedly, Cao Ren replied, “Most of the villagers have already fled; the townships are nearly deserted. We caught a few who failed to escape, and they said our army was slaughtering Xiapi and would soon reach here, so everyone fled.”

Cao Cao was astonished. “How did the news spread so quickly? Did Tao Qian dispatch scouts to investigate and then evacuate the county?”

He had personally led the massacre south at Xiapi, killing tens of thousands in five or six county towns. Even if some escaped, they would likely flee south to Huainan, not return north to Xuzhou, and their speed couldn’t possibly outpace his army.

So, Cao Cao surmised only one possibility: that Tao Qian’s scouts had discovered the situation and reported back, prompting Tao Qian to order the evacuation of all surrounding counties.

Yet Cao Ren shook his head. “Not so. Apparently, at Huangmen Pavilion, twenty li northeast of Xiangben at the foot of Zeng Mountain, lives a prodigy. He predicted that our army, to prevent Yuan Shu from seizing Xuzhou, would devastate the province, slaughtering the people. He spread the warning in the countryside, urging the villagers to flee, and so everyone left.”

“Oh?”

Cao Cao was greatly surprised. “Such a person exists? Able to divine my intentions? What is his name and where is he now?”

Cao Ren answered, “His name is Shen Chen, not yet nine years old. Gifted since birth, he could speak at one, knew a thousand characters at three, and at six had read all his clan’s books. He often crouches by the roadside, questioning travelers from neighboring counties about the world’s affairs, analyzing the times. He is a renowned prodigy in Xiangben County.”

Cao Cao’s eyes gleamed as he nodded slightly. “Such innate talent—if I could obtain him, my great endeavor would be assured. Zixiao, station men in the countryside near Huangmen Pavilion. If Shen Chen returns, bring him before me at once.”

“Understood,” Cao Ren replied and departed.

Night deepened swiftly, the sun setting behind the western hills.

Cao Cao ate some dry rations in the county office and continued to handle documents.

As darkness neared, Cao Hong suddenly burst into the office, drenched in sweat and anxious, shouting as he entered the hall, “Elder brother, disaster! Something has happened in Yan Province!”

Cao Cao looked up, putting aside his brush, and seeing Cao Hong panic, frowned. “Such disorder—what has happened? Speak quickly!”

Cao Hong swallowed anxiously. “Zhang Miao and Chen Gong have betrayed us, inviting Lü Bu into Yan Province. The region has fallen everywhere, except for Juancheng, Fan County, and Dong’e, which are defended by Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, and Xiahou Yuan. Elder brother, you must send troops to rescue them at once!”

“What?”

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao was struck as if by a heavy blow. His head swam with pain, leaving him barely upright at his seat, clutching the table to avoid fainting.

He gasped, holding onto the table, hair standing on end, mind racing with countless thoughts as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

For Cao Cao, this was the darkest hour of his life.

Not only had he lost his foundation, but Zhang Miao and Chen Gong were his most trusted allies in this period, now betraying him. Henceforth, suspicion would haunt him forever.

After the coalition of eighteen lords against Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao returned to East Commandery as governor. Chen Gong joined him at this time, even earlier than Xun Yu, Xi Zhicai, and Cheng Yu, becoming the first strategist in his camp.

Cao Cao trusted Chen Gong implicitly, regarding him as a confidant because Chen Gong had devised the plan to help him seize Yan Province.

Without Chen Gong, Cao Cao could never have gained that foundation.

Zhang Miao’s relationship with Cao Cao was even closer. They had known each other for many years. In the fourth year of Chuping, when Cao Cao first campaigned east against Tao Qian, he told his family that if he failed and died in battle, they should seek refuge with Meng Zhuo.

Clearly, Cao Cao considered Zhang Miao the best friend to whom he could entrust his wife and children.

Yet at this critical moment, his two most trusted men betrayed him together, nearly destroying him. How could he not feel anguish and sorrow?

“Elder brother!” Seeing the pain on Cao Cao’s face, Cao Hong hurried forward to support him.

But Cao Cao suddenly leapt up from his seat, wiped away tears, and nearly shouted at Cao Hong, “Quick, send orders for Xiahou Yuan and Yu Jin to return!”

His thirty thousand troops were not all in Xiangben but encircled Xiangben, Wuyuan, and Liangcheng, forming a net around Yanxian, with many forces still on the outskirts.

Upon hearing the news, Cao Cao immediately dispatched messengers to recall all his troops, though gathering them would take time. He quickly arranged for preparations to withdraw.

A hero is called such because even in adversity and hardship, they do not yield.

Yet the methods of a hero differ from those of a tyrant.

A tyrant is cunning and ruthless, stopping at nothing. A hero is upright, never crossing moral boundaries.

The next day, Cao Cao ordered Cao Hong to escort the grain supplies back to Yinping, and pressed Xiahou Yuan and Yu Jin to return, preparing the army to hasten back to Yan Province.

By the fourth day, Xiahou Yuan had received the order and departed. After meeting up with Yu Jin, Cao Cao also immediately began withdrawal.

Before leaving, to prevent Tao Qian from interfering, he left five thousand troops under Cao Ren’s command.

By the eighth day of May, Cao Cao’s spirits had somewhat recovered. To steady the army's morale, he concealed his worries and pain, ordering the army to march back to Yan Province for rescue.

Before departing, he summoned Cao Ren and solemnly instructed, “Having just withdrawn, Tao Qian will suspect a ruse and not dare pursue. You should therefore retreat to Lanling. If Tao Qian sends pursuers, ambush them—they will not dare chase further.”

“Understood,” Cao Ren replied.

With the army already on the move, Cao Cao turned his horse to leave, but seemed to recall something, turning back to Cao Ren. “Zixiao, send men to assassinate Shen Chen.”

Cao Ren was puzzled. “Elder brother, didn’t you previously order me to summon him?”

Cao Cao spoke gravely, “With Yan Province in crisis, life or death uncertain, I have no time for that child. If I were Tao Qian, after the turmoil subsides and learning of such talent in my territory, I would surely recruit him. If I cannot have him, how can I let Tao Qian keep him?”

“Why not abduct him? He’s but an eight-year-old boy.”

“He has kin and clan. Even if taken to Yan Province, how could he sincerely aid me? Unless I move his entire clan, which is impossible now with chaos in the rear.”

“I understand. I have already stationed men in the countryside. If Shen Chen returns, we will slaughter his kin as well, to intimidate Tao Qian.”

Cao Ren nodded. He, too, was ruthless—later he would massacre Wan City. To make a general’s name, countless bones must perish—not only soldiers’ lives, but those of defenseless civilians, to establish the foundation of the Cao clan’s fame!

“Good.” Cao Cao turned his horse and departed. To him, snuffing out a child prodigy meant nothing.

Historically, he had also sent assassins after prodigies like Zhou Buyi. If such talents could not serve him, their fate mattered not—life or death, even if under his command, could mean execution for any reason.

The day after Cao Cao led his army to reinforce Yan Province, Tao Qian’s scouts outside the city learned of his withdrawal.

Within Yanxian, at the provincial governor’s residence.

Tao Qian had gathered Liu Bei, Kong Rong, Mi Zhu, and Chen Deng in the hall for discussion.

He coughed twice and looked around. “Gentlemen, Cao Cao has suddenly retreated. What does this mean?”

Chen Deng pondered. “Perhaps it is a ruse, feigning withdrawal, while actually setting an ambush.”

“I think so too.” Tao Qian was about to suggest waiting to see if Cao Cao truly withdrew before making a move.

He suddenly recalled Shen Chen’s prediction—that Cao Cao’s slaughter of notable figures in Yan Province had long stirred discontent among the local gentry, and turmoil might arise in the rear—and hesitated.

Seeing Tao Qian deep in thought, Liu Bei asked, “What do you think, Governor?”

Tao Qian looked at Liu Bei, hesitated, and replied, “Xuande, someone once told me that Cao Cao’s rear might descend into chaos, so I wonder if he is actually planning to retreat?”

Chen Deng shook his head. “No one in this world can predict the future so precisely. Governor, do not be deceived and neglect the province’s affairs.”

“Well…” Tao Qian tested, “But if Cao Cao truly withdraws, wouldn’t we lose a great opportunity?”

Liu Bei said, “Governor, I am willing to lead troops out of the city and test the situation.”

Tao Qian brightened. “Then I will trouble Xuande.”

Without delay, Liu Bei summoned Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, taking about a thousand elite soldiers, adding Kong Rong’s three thousand men, totaling four thousand to prepare for departure.

Tao Qian, fearing the force was too small, ordered his general Xu Dan to lead four thousand Danyang troops to support Liu Bei.