Chapter 23: I Have Come to Seek My Two Aunts

As soon as Cao Cao issued his orders, the troops sprang into action. After all, if they delayed and the siege of Baima turned into a massacre, the battle would only become even harder to fight. Zhang Liao and Guan Yu were already acquainted, and there was a sense of mutual admiration between them. At this time, Zhang Liao was not yet thirty, and he regarded Guan Yu as an elder brother.

Cavalry was an exceptionally rare resource in this era. The endless strife between warlords had claimed countless lives, but even more warhorses had been squandered. As a result, the entirety of Cao Cao’s organized cavalry force barely numbered three thousand. He directly allotted one thousand horsemen to Guan Yu and Zhang Liao as the vanguard—a figure Cao Cao deemed rather generous. Both Zhang Liao and Guan Yu understood, however, that Yan Liang’s cavalry would surely outnumber theirs by at least twice as much.

Nevertheless, their mission was a surprise attack, where speed and the element of surprise were paramount. A smaller force was to be expected, and neither Guan Yu nor Zhang Liao was troubled by this.

News of Cao Cao mustering his troops outside the city could not be kept from the court officials. Though they did not know Cao Cao’s precise strategy, the final reckoning between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao had clearly begun. This left the so-called Han officials restless; many even found excuses to avoid attending court, seeking to distance themselves from Cao Cao just in case Xuchang fell to Yuan Shao in a month or two. Even a small degree of separation might grant them a better chance of survival.

After setting his plans, Cao Cao paid little heed to the court, leaving his trusted adviser Xun Yu—always attentive to Emperor Xian and loyal to the Han dynasty—as his voice in the imperial halls, and as a warning to those ministers whose hearts harbored uncertain thoughts.

With Cao Cao no longer supervising the court, Fu Wan found it difficult to contain himself. Years of experience told him that Cao Cao might soon take the field in person. The moment this suspicion arose, he hurried to Emperor Xian.

“Your Majesty, if Cao Cao leaves the city, our opportunity will come. Now is surely the best time to flee!”

For Fu Wan, each day spent here was torment. Should Cao Cao discover his plot with Emperor Xian to escape to Wu Commandery, his entire family’s fate would be even more tragic than that of Dong Cheng. To him, leaving even an hour earlier was worthwhile.

Seeing his father-in-law drenched in sweat, Emperor Xian could only sigh inwardly. He thought to himself that if only there were anyone else available, he would never entrust anything important to someone as timid as Fu Wan.

“This is merely the first engagement between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao—a probing battle to test each other’s strength. Only after this clash will both sides know their own limits and be able to commit fully to war. If we attempt to flee now, it is not the right time. We must wait. Win or lose, after this battle, Cao Cao will have to station all his troops at Guandu. That will be our moment.”

Fu Wan had to admit Emperor Xian’s analysis was sound. Given his own status and the circumstances, he could only wipe his brow and take his leave from the imperial residence, disappointed.

After Fu Wan left, Emperor Xian gazed out the palace window in the direction of Jiangdong, muttering, “Sun Ce had better not be the sort who ignores advice. If he doesn’t heed my letters, things will become very difficult…”

Although each step had been arranged to his satisfaction, there was no guarantee Sun Ce would follow his plan exactly. Even if Sun Ce lost Jiangdong, he himself would not be ruined, but Emperor Xian had chosen Sun Ce precisely because of his character. If anything happened to Sun Ce, Emperor Xian doubted there would be any point in fleeing to Jiangdong.

Thanks to Xun Yu’s presence at court, Emperor Xian knew that as soon as any battle report arrived, it would be publicly announced to reassure the restless Han officials. After all, an emperor alone could not sustain Xuchang, and if the court were filled only with Cao Cao’s relatives, it would be too transparent a sham.

Next to the empress’s chambers, Lady Gan and Lady Mi had been residing for several days. They understood that Guan Yu had sent them here for their safety, but this palace was nothing like their previous residence. The maids scarcely had a chance to gather news from the city, so all they could do was count the days and wait.

That day, as the two women idly wondered where Liu Bei might be, a maid hurried in, visibly flustered.

“Madams, His Majesty—he’s coming here alone!”

“What? Why would His Majesty come here?” Lady Gan rose quickly, adjusting her collar.

They had never met Emperor Xian before. Now, living as guests in his palace, they recalled Guan Yu’s reassurance: by seniority, they were the emperor’s aunts, and he would respect that and not overstep the bounds. Still, both women had enough experience with men to understand: though the emperor was young, he had been confined within the deep palace for four or five years, accompanied only by three women—one of whom, Lady Dong, was currently imprisoned because of Dong Cheng’s case.

Were two women enough? Certainly not. And Cao Cao had no intention of satisfying the emperor’s needs. Now that they themselves were here, could the vigorous young emperor possibly restrain himself?

Lady Gan and Lady Mi did not think so. In their eyes, though a little older than the emperor, they were no less attractive than the empress or the other concubines.

Before Lady Gan could voice her concern, the door was flung open and Emperor Xian strode in, dressed in loose casual attire.

“Your Majesty, what brings you—?”

Though Emperor Xian’s reign was largely nominal, before these women, the youthful emperor seemed an insurmountable presence. At this moment, he could do as he pleased.

“I have come to see my two aunts. You may leave us.”

Emperor Xian still retained a trace of imperial authority, at least enough that the lone maid dared not defy him. With legs pressed tightly together, she slipped quietly from the room.

“I have matters to discuss with my two aunts. Close the door, and keep watch outside. No one in the palace is to approach.”