Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1306 Cao Ang's Coldness and Cao Cao's Worry

Cao Cao felt a mix of emotions. His son was good in every way—calm, skilled in battle, and popular—even Xiahou Dun praised him highly. But the thought of his son's unwavering admiration for Ma Chao, even to the point of arguing with him, was like a thorn in his heart, causing a dull ache. He always felt that his eldest son harbored something he couldn't understand, and that protectiveness towards Ma Chao was something he couldn't shake off.

"Let's enter the city first." Cao Cao withdrew his gaze, turned and walked into the city, his tone regaining its usual authority, "Let's inspect the city's defenses and then discuss the next steps."

Cao Ang and Cao Pi followed behind, one on each side. Cao Pi stole glances at his father and elder brother. Seeing that his father neither praised nor blamed his elder brother, the unease he felt due to the retreat eased slightly. However, looking at Cao Ang's back, he felt a bit more complicated. His elder brother's trip had not only saved Qiao County, but also seemed to have reclaimed a heavy place in his father's heart.

Xiahou Dun followed at the back, watching the backs of the father and his two sons, stroking his stubble and grinning. No matter what, Qiao County was saved, the lord was back, and the eldest son was back—that was better than anything else.

Morning light streamed through the streets and alleys of Qiao County, casting long shadows on the mottled city walls. Smoke gradually rose from the chimneys within the city, carrying an air of relief after the calamity, but the turmoil in Cao Cao's heart, like the lingering morning mist, remained unsettled for a long time.

Inside the council hall, candlelight illuminated Cao Cao's solemn face. After listening to the detailed accounts of the fall of Nanyang and Runan, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table, producing a dull thud. The loss of Runan and Nanyang, and the near fall of Qiao County, weighed heavily on his heart, and a cold sweat even broke out on his back.

"The most urgent task is to reclaim the lost territory." Cao Cao suddenly looked up, his gaze sweeping over his generals. "Although Liu Bei has retreated to Runan, Nanyang and Runan are located in the heart of the Central Plains, and we cannot allow him to occupy them for long. I intend to immediately muster our troops and engage Liu Bei in a decisive battle!"

Before he finished speaking, Cao Ang stood up, cupped his hands, and said loudly, "Father wishes to defeat Liu Bei, and I am willing to be the vanguard, leading my troops straight to Runan!"

Cao Cao looked at his eldest son, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He knew all too well that Cao Ang had played a crucial role in the defense of Qiao Commandery, and precisely because of this, his eldest son's prestige in the army was soaring, with even Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren praising him highly. Meanwhile, Cao Pi stood in a corner, hands clasped, head bowed, almost completely overshadowed by his brother's brilliance. His awkwardness and gloom only deepened Cao Cao's unease.

His expression suddenly turned serious, and he said, "Cao Ang, your contribution to the rescue of Qiao County is undeniable."

Xiahou Dun quickly chimed in, "Exactly! My lord, the eldest son led the army back in a time of crisis and managed to stabilize the battle. This is a great achievement..."

"Yuanrang, calm down." Cao Cao raised his hand to interrupt, his gaze still fixed on Cao Ang. "But did you bring an order for reinforcements from your second brother, Cao Pi, this time?"

Cao Ang was taken aback, his expression changed slightly, but he still bowed and replied, "Father, there is no request for help from my second brother."

"There was neither his plea for help nor my command." Cao Cao's voice suddenly turned stern. "You disobeyed military orders and privately led the Xuzhou troops back to reinforce the city. Although you saved Qiao County, you broke military discipline! Now that your merits and demerits have balanced out, you shall immediately lead the Xuzhou troops back to garrison Xuzhou!"

He paused, then emphasized, "Xuzhou is bordered by Qingzhou to the north and Jiangdong to the south, serving as a strategic barrier in the southeast. If it falls, our army will be in grave danger. You must defend this place to the death and are not allowed to move a single soldier without authorization!"

"Father!" Cao Ang's face was full of confusion. "Now is the time for military action. Xuzhou is temporarily secured. I wish to stay and help you defeat the enemy..."

"No need for further words!" Cao Cao waved his hand to stop them, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"My lord!" Zang Ba, standing to the side, couldn't help but raise his neck, about to speak, but was swept by Cao Cao's sharp gaze.

"What? You two have a problem with this?" Cao Cao looked at Zang Ba and Sun Li, his voice carrying a sense of authority.

Zang Ba gritted his teeth, strode forward, and knelt down with a thud: "My lord! The eldest son was extremely anxious upon learning of Liu Bei's army's arrival. He repeatedly requested to lead troops to the rescue, but was refused each time due to the importance of Xuzhou's defense. Only after Qiao County was besieged did the eldest son risk disobeying orders and decide to come to the rescue. Although he did not receive orders this time, it was by no means a rash decision; he was truly concerned about the safety of the rear! If it weren't for the eldest son's timely arrival, Qiao County would have fallen! I beg my lord to remember his great service and rescind the order!"

Sun Li also knelt down: "My lord, General Zang is absolutely right! The eldest son saved Qiao County from dire straits, and the army's morale is high. If we send him back to Xuzhou now, the soldiers will be disheartened!"

The hall fell silent for a moment. Even Cao Pi secretly raised his head to look at his father and elder brother, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

Cao Cao looked at the two generals who had followed Cao Ang to the kneeling ground, then at Cao Ang himself, who stood motionless, his face showing confusion yet remaining respectful. His heart was in turmoil. He knew all too well that Zang Ba's words were true, but his eldest son's prestige was already at its zenith. If he were to remain in the army and hold military power, Cao Pi would find it even more difficult to establish himself in the future.

"Military orders are absolute, how can they be changed?" Cao Cao finally hardened his heart and said in a deep voice, "Zang Ba and Sun Li, although you two spoke on behalf of the eldest son, you have violated military discipline. Each of you shall be fined three months' salary and made to atone for your crimes through meritorious service!"

He looked at Cao Ang: "Ang'er, muster the troops immediately and set off for Xuzhou within three days."

Cao Ang's lips moved, but he ultimately bowed deeply: "Your son... obeys."

The atmosphere in the council hall instantly became oppressive. Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, and other generals watched Cao Ang's dejected figure, opened their mouths, but ultimately couldn't say anything more. Cao Pi stood in the corner, head bowed, and no one could see whether his face showed relief or something else entirely.

Cao Cao stared at the map on the table, his fingertips pressing firmly on the words "Xuzhou," as if he wanted to tear the place name off. He knew that this order might chill the heart of his eldest son, but in his heart, maintaining the balance among his sons and ensuring that Cao Pi could gradually gain a foothold was far more important than the outcome of a battle.

He failed to see the fleeting disappointment in Cao Ang's eyes as he turned to leave, and the barely concealed helplessness in the eyes of Zang Ba and Sun Li as they exchanged glances. The undercurrents within the council hall were already brewing, more difficult to quell than the flames of war outside the city.

After everyone in the council hall dispersed, Cao Cao was staring intently at the map when the curtain was gently lifted, and Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren walked in side by side. Xiahou Dun's face was somewhat gloomy, and as soon as he sat down, he couldn't help but speak: "Brother, Ang'er is your eldest son, always respectful and filial, and skilled in both literature and martial arts. Your handling of the matter today was truly biased, and even we uncles cannot stand it."

Cao Ren nodded in agreement, his tone full of confusion: "Brother, what has been wrong with you these past few years? You've deliberately distanced yourself from Ang'er, and even we uncles don't dare to get close to him easily. What are you really thinking? You should at least tell us brothers the truth. We brothers feel uneasy about how you treat Ang'er. How did the relationship between father and son become like this?"

Cao Cao looked at the two men, remained silent for a long time, and finally sighed, his voice filled with unspeakable weariness: "My two virtuous brothers, how could I not know that Ang'er is outstanding? His talent and character are unmatched among all the scholars. But this child... is good in every way, but there is one thing that makes me feel like I have a fishbone stuck in my throat."

He got up and walked to the window, looking at the bleak sky outside, and slowly said, "I don't know if he was influenced by someone or if he got stuck in some kind of obsession, but he admires Ma Chao to the extreme, to the point of blind obedience. If you look at the decrees of Xuzhou, many of the methods of handling matters are based on those of Xiliang. Every time I talk to him about Ma Chao, I can't hide the admiration in his eyes, as if that person is the wise ruler in his heart."

“Ma Chao is indeed remarkable, a true regional ruler,” Cao Cao suddenly turned around, his voice filled with suppressed anger. “But he is a regional warlord, and so am I! Look at how close Ang’er is to him. A few years ago, he even told me that if Ma Chao were to one day become a powerful figure in the world and treat the people well, he would advise me to join forces with him, or even… submit to him!”

"What?" Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren were both shocked, their faces filled with disbelief.

"What kind of talk is this!" Cao Cao clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Is this the kind of talk that Cao Cao's successor should say? You and I, brothers, have poured our hearts and souls into building this empire in this chaotic world. Are you suggesting that after I breathe my last, he should personally hand it all over to Ma Chao?"

He took a breath, a deep worry flashing in his eyes: "I'm not deliberately being harsh on him, I'm just afraid. I'm afraid that his indiscriminate 'benevolence' will ruin the Cao family's foundation in the future. Sending him back to Xuzhou today is both a warning and a precaution. I can't let him build up too much prestige in the army, and I can't let him think that he can decide the fate of the world according to his own whims."

Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren exchanged a glance and remained silent. They knew that Cao Cao's concerns were not unfounded, but considering Cao Ang's usual composure and talent, they felt that such suspicion was truly disheartening.

“Brother,” Cao Ren began hesitantly, “Ang’er may have just been confused for a moment. After all, Ma Chao did have good policies in Xiliang back then, and young people are bound to be confused…”

“One moment of folly could destroy a century-old foundation.” Cao Cao interrupted him, his tone resolute. “The empire of my Cao family can only belong to the Cao family. Even if it is my own son, if he has any intention to shake the foundation, I will not tolerate it.”

Silence fell once more within the tent, broken only by the mournful sound of the wind outside the window. Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren looked at the newly added white hairs at Cao Cao's temples, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Cao Cao's voice gradually softened, tinged with a weary sigh: "Look at my sons... When Cao Ang went on a mission to Xiliang, he came back to this state, his heart filled with Ma Chao's 'benevolent rule,' and he has forgotten his own family's foundation."

He walked to the desk, his finger lightly tapping the bamboo slips on it. These were letters he had previously written to Cao Zhi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Chong, but they had all disappeared without a trace. "The three of them, Cao Zhi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Chong, are now staying in Xiliang and refuse to come back. I've written to them several times to summon them, but they only say they're studying over there. What are they studying? Aren't they just learning Ma Chao's ways?"

At this point, his brows furrowed again: "But Cao Ang married Ma Chao's sister, and this marriage ties are like a rope, binding the Cao family to Xiliang. Ma Chao is now very powerful, how can we easily start a war?"

Xiahou Dun's expression turned grave, and he couldn't help but say, "But we can't let these young masters stay in Xiliang for too long. If they stay too long, I'm afraid..."

"How could I not know?" Cao Cao sighed, turning his gaze to the window as if he could see through the clouds towards Xuchang. "But given the current situation, I have no choice. Look at Cao Pi. Although he is not as brave as Ang'er or as talented as Zhi'er, he is more steady. Over the years, he has built up some connections in Qiao County and knows how to protect the foundation of the Cao family."

He turned around, looking at Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren, his tone heavy with a sense of desperation: "If I don't push Cao Pi forward, do you expect Ang'er to hand over the family business to Ma Chao a hundred years from now? Or do you expect those sons who studied 'benevolent governance' in Xiliang to come back and recognize the enemy as their father?"

“Brother…” Cao Ren hesitated. He knew Cao Cao’s concerns, but he also felt that this kind of weighing was a heavy burden for Cao Pi and even more disheartening for Cao Ang.

“I know you think I’m biased,” Cao Cao waved his hand, a complex look flashing in his eyes, “but this chaotic world allows no room for leniency. Even if Cao Pi has many shortcomings, at least he knows in his heart that he is a member of the Cao family and that this world should belong to him.”

He gazed at the deepening twilight outside the tent, his voice lowering: "As a father, all I want is to pass this burden securely into the hands of someone capable of preserving the family business before I close my eyes. It's difficult..."

The candlelight flickered inside the tent, illuminating the silent figures of the three men. Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren looked at the white hair at Cao Cao's temples and finally understood the torment in their elder brother's heart. He was not only a strategist and lord, but also a father who racked his brains to ensure the survival of his family in the chaotic world. Every move he made was as if he were walking on thin ice.