The War Horse of Cao Cao's Army [Romance of the Three Kingdoms] - Chapter 5

I rode at full speed, chasing after the carriages of Cao Song’s family.

That very night, I had the opportunity to meet Cao Song himself—Cao Cao’s father. He was an elderly man with graying hair and a full, bushy beard, dressed in luxurious silk garments. The lavish decorations inside his carriage made it clear: he was the epitome of a “wealthy elder.”

“Ho? So you say you’re part of our family?” he asked, curiosity in his eyes.

“Yes, Grand Commandant,” I responded respectfully.

“We’ll have to check the family registry to be sure. Hey,” he called out.

“Yes, my lord?”

“Go fetch our family registry.”

With a flick of Cao Song’s fingers, a stunning woman in her late twenties or early thirties entered the room, respectfully offering a bamboo scroll.

“This sweet thing, come sit beside me,” he said with a grin, pulling her by the waist and settling her onto his lap, laughing heartily.

“Ah, my lord,” she giggled, though clearly much younger—young enough to be his daughter. Watching this, it became obvious where Cao Cao got some of his personality traits.

“Hmm, you said you’re from the Cao family of Qiao County in Peiguo. Tell me, what was your father’s name?”

“He hailed from Wu County, and his name was Ming.”

“Hmm, Cao Ming… And your grandfather?”

“He used the character for Ding (鼎), and he once served as the Governor of Wu County.”

“Hmm, the son of Cao Ming and the grandson of Cao Ding… Oh! Here you are! So you must be Cao Xiu, nephew of Cao Hong?”

Cao Song immediately confirmed my identity upon inspecting the family registry.

Yes, Cao Xiu was indeed a distant relative of Cao Cao, specifically the grandson of Cao Ding, who once served as the Governor of Wu County. Cao Xiu was the nephew of Cao Hong, and Cao Cao was a distant cousin, about a sixth cousin to be exact.

“Now that I see it in the registry, I recognize you. Well done for coming all this way.”

“I am deeply honored that the Grand Commandant has acknowledged me.”

“Hahaha, no need to be so formal! We’re family. Just call me Great-Uncle,” Cao Song laughed heartily, continuing to playfully pat his concubine on the rear.

“And who are the people you brought with you?”

“Great-Uncle, this man is Xu Shu, a scholar on the path of learning, traveling with me. The others are strongmen who have come to escort and protect your family.”

“Haha, why so much security? Governor Tao Qian of Xuzhou is supposedly sending hundreds of soldiers to protect me soon! Haha!”

Oh dear, those ‘hundreds of soldiers’ are not coming to protect you… they’re coming to kill you.

Despite my concerns, Cao Song introduced me to the rest of the family. I greeted not only him but also Cao De, Cao Bin, and Cao Yu, who were Cao Cao’s brothers, as well as their wives, concubines, and children. All in all, there were over 40 members of the Cao family present.

“So, you’re Wenlie, is that right?” Cao Song asked.

“Yes, that’s correct,” I replied.

“How old are you?” Cao Song asked.

“I’m twenty this year.”

“Perfect age. You’ve grown well,” he said approvingly.

A man with an impressive mustache, who greeted me as warmly as Cao Song did, was Cao De, Cao Cao’s younger brother.

“My son in Yanzhou is about your age. When we arrive, I’ll personally introduce you to him. I hope you two can form a good bond.”

“Uncle, may I ask your son’s name?” I inquired.

“His name is Cao Yan, though he is often called Anmin—a name I gave him.”

Ah, Cao Anmin!

In the historical records, he’s known for the tragic event where he died alongside Cao Cao’s own son due to one of Cao Cao’s personal missteps. So Cao Anmin was Cao De’s son…

“When we reach Yanzhou, I’ll speak with my brother, Mengde, and request a good position for you.”

“Thank you very much.”

“My brother cares deeply for our family. Look at what he’s doing now—bringing our entire family, including Father, to Yanzhou for safety.”

Cao De and the rest of the Cao family had absolute trust in Cao Cao. It was understandable. Ever since his failed assassination attempt on Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao had risen as one of the 18 warlords of China, a well-known figure whom they all relied on.

As we continued escorting Cao Song’s family, Tao Qian’s army finally arrived.

“Honored one, I am Zhang Kai, sent by the Governor of Xuzhou to escort you. I bring with me 200 men to ensure your safety,” he said.

Oh no! This is bad!

Zhang Kai.

In history, he was the very man who coveted the wealth of Cao Song’s family, murdered them all, and stole the treasure from over a hundred carriages. His betrayal sparked the enmity between Cao Cao and Tao Qian, eventually leading to the infamous Xuzhou Massacre.

“Two hundred soldiers, you say? How reassuring,” Cao Song said with satisfaction.

I quickly leaned in and whispered to him urgently.

“Great-Uncle, we already have skilled warriors with us. There’s no need for additional soldiers from Xuzhou. We can ensure your safety all the way to Yanzhou.”

“Nonsense. In these chaotic times, the more protection, the better. You never know how many bandits might be lurking.”

“But these soldiers are meant to protect Xuzhou, not for escort duties. Please, leave the protection to us and accept their gesture without engaging them directly.”

“That wouldn’t be proper. Tao Qian sent these men as a sign of good will towards our family. How could I refuse such a gesture?”

Oh no, old man! These people are here to kill us!

No matter what I said, Cao Song wouldn’t listen. He was completely oblivious to the danger right in front of him.

In the end, I had no choice but to allow the very people who had come to murder us to enter the camp. The only thing left to do was to stay alert, keep my sword at the ready, and guard Cao Song‘s family throughout the night.

“Leave it all to us,” Zhang Kai said, forcing a grin on his rough, thuggish face as he greeted me and the other warriors.

It was a tense, uneasy situation, and that night I received a summons from Xu Shu.

“Yuanji, you called for me?” I asked.

“Shh.”

Xu Shu pressed his finger to his lips, signaling me to stay silent. With him were several of the warriors that Lu Su had sent.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Listen to what this man has to say,” Xu Shu replied, pointing to one of the warriors.

The man stepped forward and began speaking.

“I once served as an officer in Xuzhou, but during that time, there was no commander by the name of Zhang Kai.”

“Hmm?” I responded, confused.

“I left the army only two months ago, and even then, there was no such officer named Zhang Kai. The real commander of Xuzhou’s forces was Chen Deng.”

Wait… so Zhang Kai wasn’t even part of Tao Qian’s forces to begin with?

“So, what about the soldiers Zhang Kai brought with him?”

“I recognize the uniforms, and I know a few of the men, but not the commander,” the warrior replied.

Something felt off. The soldiers were indeed from Tao Qian’s Xuzhou army, but Zhang Kai was not a name known to anyone who had served under Tao Qian.

Let’s take a moment to recall the actual events from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Cao Song‘s family, with over a hundred treasure-laden carriages, was supposedly being escorted by Tao Qian’s forces. However, they were betrayed by Zhang Kai, a subordinate who stole the treasure and fled, leading to the infamous conflict between Cao Cao and Tao Qian.

But now we’re faced with a twist—this Zhang Kai wasn’t even a real commander in Tao Qian’s army. The warrior, who had served in the Xuzhou army only two months ago, had never heard of him. This means Zhang Kai was likely a ‘parachute general,’ suddenly thrust into command, possibly to carry out the betrayal.

“This makes things even murkier,” I said. “But one thing is clear—we must guard Great-Uncle’s family all the way to Yanzhou, keeping a close eye even on the soldiers from Xuzhou.”

Xu Shu nodded in agreement.

“I’ll make you all a promise,” I said, addressing the warriors. “If we successfully escort Great-Uncle’s family to Yanzhou, I’ll pay you double the amount we originally agreed upon.”

At the mention of double the reward, the warriors’ faces momentarily lit up, though they quickly regained their composure.

“You’re expecting we might have to fight that entire army of hundreds, aren’t you?” one of them asked.

“It’s a possibility.”

“Hmmm… but for double the pay….”

“Once we reach Yanzhou, the Governor will likely reward you with more than double,” I assured them.

At that, the warrior named Yom Ga, a former military officer, confidently nodded.

“For that kind of reward, it’s worth risking our lives. Understood!”

“Exactly, we’re not farmers. We make our living by risking our necks!” another warrior chimed in.

The twenty men under Lu Su‘s command were certainly elite. Despite seeing the wealth of Cao Song‘s family, they showed no greed, and even when faced with the danger of this mission, their loyalty to Lu Su made them ready to fight.

With this crew, we had a real chance.

Shaa, shaaa… shaa, shaaa…

It was a stormy night, with heavy rain pouring down.

“So, this is Taishan Commandery. How much longer until we reach Yanzhou?” I asked.

“At this pace, two days,” Yom Ga, the warrior, replied.

I had a gut feeling.

“We must not rest tonight. We’ll stand guard over Great-Uncle’s family all through the night.”

“Understood, sir,” Yom Ga replied.

These men had already resolved to risk their lives.

Meanwhile, Cao Song, oblivious to the danger, was enjoying a night of pleasure with his concubine, despite the pouring rain outside.

As the relentless rain continued through the quiet hours of the early morning…

“Who’s there?”

Shhhring—

“Arghhh!”

Suddenly, the sound of clashing steel and a scream pierced the downpour.

Through the sheets of rain, a large group of soldiers appeared, slowly advancing with spears and swords raised.

“Who are these men?”

“Attack!”

The so-called “guards” sent by Tao Qian had finally turned their blades, gripping their swords in reverse, signaling their betrayal.

I immediately drew my sword and positioned myself in front of Cao Song’s quarters, ready to face the incoming attackers.

Two soldiers with spears charged at me. I leaped up, using the wall for leverage, and brought my sword down on the first one.

“Urgh!”

Slash—

I struck the vulnerable area between his helmet and armor, and blood gushed out, only to be washed away instantly by the torrential rain. The soldier clutched his throat, gurgling before collapsing to the ground, but the second soldier swung his sword at me.

I narrowly dodged his blade, which grazed my chest—just a bit deeper and it could have been a fatal wound.

The soldier followed up with another strike, but I sidestepped and thrust my sword into his side.

Thud—

“Urgh!!”

As the Tao Qian soldier staggered from the wound in his side, I, driven by rage, struck him repeatedly, plunging my sword into his body again and again.

He thrashed violently, unable to even scream, and with one final thrust into his chest, I withdrew my blade. A fountain of blood sprayed out before his movements ceased entirely.

Shaaa, shaaaa…

The rain washed the blood away as I ran a hand through my soaked hair, sword still in hand.

“I told you we should’ve turned away these so-called guards!”

“There he is! Kill him!” someone shouted.

I had barely taken down two of them when the remaining soldiers of Tao Qian’s forces charged at me all at once. Dodging the incoming spears and swords, I swung my blade wildly, cutting down anyone who came within reach.

Shing—

Another soldier fell to my sword, the sensation of the strike reverberating through me. My heart pounded even harder, jolting like it had been struck by lightning.

I had already drawn my sword, and if I wanted to survive, I had to become a demon on this battlefield.

“You’ve held out well, but—”

Slash—

Before the soldier could finish his sentence, a flash of my blade sliced through the pouring rain. His head flew into the air, and for a brief moment, his lifeless eyes locked onto mine before falling to the ground.

“Ah…?”

The dead soldier’s head tumbled to the ground, rolling before it came to a stop at my feet.

What…?!

“Just as you predicted, Wenlie,” a voice called out.

“Yuanji!” I exclaimed.

Xu Shu had swiftly decapitated another soldier and moved to stand beside me, ready to face the attackers together.

Moments later, the twenty warriors lent by Lu Su charged into the fray, surrounding me and engaging the enemy.

“Protect the Grand Commandant’s family!” I shouted.

“The bandits are attacking! We must defend Grand Commandant Cao!”

With the arrival of the twenty swordsmen, we were able to catch a brief moment of respite.

Amidst the commotion, Cao Song emerged from his quarters.

“W-what is this noise? What’s causing such a ruckus outside…?”

As soon as he stepped out and saw the bodies of the Tao Qian soldiers and the warriors defending his residence, his face turned pale.

“Hieek!”

“There he is! It’s Cao Song! Kill him!” one of the traitorous soldiers shouted.

“Not so fast!” I yelled, as the warriors from Lu Su quickly intercepted the attackers charging toward Cao Song.

“What—what in the world is going on?!”

“Great-Uncle, you must get to safety! These traitors have turned into bandits, seeking to steal the family’s wealth!” I shouted.

“W-what?!”

At that moment, Xu Shu placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Wenlie! I’ll handle these men. You take the family and load them onto the carriages to escape.”

“Yuanji!”

“I had a feeling something like this would happen when you brought me here to Langya. Looks like I’ll play the knight errant one last time,” Xu Shu said with a wry smile, drawing his sword.

With Xu Shu and the warriors from Lu Su rushing forward to fend off the Tao Qian soldiers, I turned to focus on my mission: saving Cao Song and the entire family.