Chapter 547: Sitting and Watching Success and Failure

Bai Lang also has several prescriptions in his hand: a medicinal broth dedicated to strengthening Qi, a broth for treating external injuries, and a broth that makes both inside and outside strong; all of them require a person to be boiled in them. "They're just simple formulas, originally scribbled casually, but they happen to work in this world." The exquisite Golden Wound Medicine and Qi‑nourishing Pill also have formulas, it's not that Bai Lang can't make them.

Bai Lang is rather rough; after cultivating Southern Dipper White Tiger Fist and Thirteen Tai Bao Golden Bell Shield, he feels impervious to blades, spears, water and fire, so he pays even less attention to such matters. Now this place is a big city, the herbs are readily available, and this formula is the simplest, using no rare ingredients that this world hasn't discovered yet. In recent days Bai Lang has been soaking in these medicinal broths, feeling a tingling numbness come out of his body.

The one attending his baths is, of course, Zou Shi; Bai Lang has not taken a wife yet, so Zou Shi enjoys exclusive favor. CaoCao has dozens of wives and concubines, Liu Xuande has at least two, while Bai Lang has only one, making him the one averse to women. The Jingzhou aristocracy under Liu Biao are not very welcoming of a warrior like Bai Lang taking their power, but befriending him is beneficial; a peerless general serving as a high official in the capital is a great backing, just don't reach into the province.

Therefore marrying off a daughter is not an issue at all, and even a legitimate daughter marrying him is entirely worthwhile. The Left General and a title of Fengcheng Tinghou could easily send a legitimate daughter, without worrying about their own status. The newly minted Fengcheng Tinghou Bai Lang is a bit troubled; his previous title was a bandit's grant, so it doesn't count, this one is legitimate. "These are all fifteen‑ or sixteen‑year‑old girls… really have no appeal."

He recalled hearing not long ago that Cai Yan had remarried; the young widow apparently married someone under CaoCao, though he couldn't remember who. Bai Lang thought a fifteen‑ or sixteen‑year‑old was pointless, so he'll keep using Zou Shi; the woman is quite good, isn't she?

Among Bai Lang's hundred riders, Gao Shun has joined; ever since Bai Lang saved him, he has followed Bai Lang, usually silent and taciturn. Now that Bai Lang has some fields here, Gao Shun voluntarily went to farm. "That's fine too; tilling the fields is not bad." Bai Lang now sits high on the fishing platform, watching the world's changes.

Liu Xuande is now an Imperial Uncle; the kinship is a bit distant, but since the emperor recognizes it, we may call him Imperial Uncle Liu Xuande. His position in the clan is higher than Liu Biao's. Former General and Yicheng Tinghou LiuBei (Liu Xuande) is now essentially detained by CaoCao in Xudu. A few months later Bai Lang heard the Son of Heaven was hunting in Xudu, shooting a great stag, and he laughed, "Surely that's CaoCao's doing."

CaoCao showing off doesn't matter to Bai Lang; anyway CaoCao currently lacks the nerve to usurp the Han throne. Besides, the Yuan brothers—Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu—are still alive; Sun Ce in Jiangdong and Liu Biao in Jingzhou may be passive, but they're not to be underestimated by CaoCao. Moreover, the three Liu Xuande brothers are truly core to the realm; if CaoCao's plans involve spilling blood five feet high, they're just empty talk. Finally, with Bai Lang present, if CaoCao truly tries to seize the Han throne, he must worry whether Bai Lang might land a decisive strike.

"It's a pity I can't meet the green plums and discuss heroes over wine; I wonder what kind of comment I'd receive," Bai Lang sighed. A few months later news arrived: the guy Gongsun Zan was dealt with by Yuan Benchu, reportedly by tunneling underground and setting fire, burning Gongsun Zan and the tower he built. Another piece of news that slightly surprised Bai Lang: "CaoCao actually let LiuBei lead troops to block the road to Xuzhou? Just to intercept Yuan Shu?"

At this time Yuan Shu was arrogant and decadent, his subordinates were already demoralized, many fled. Yuan Shu's so‑called Zhongshi court could not continue; he could only claim to cede his position to Yuan Shao, which would require him to go to Yuan Shao himself. LiuBei used this pretext to trick CaoCao into giving him cavalry and escape; CaoCao regretted a bit but still let LiuBei try first. Meanwhile Bai Lang received a secret edict, and the messenger turned out to be a trusted household envoy of Dong Guojiu.

"What's this? An imperial edict to punish the traitor CaoCao?" Bai Lang, holding the letter, could only laugh and cry, "You really intend to punish CaoCao? Such childish play?" Bai Lang knew this would inevitably leak; he shook his head and sighed, "If not for CaoCao, even His Majesty would be hard to protect. Since CaoCao has not plotted to usurp the throne, our house would not do this. Take this letter back." He then sent the messenger away.

The man tried to persuade him, but ultimately could not withstand the sky‑piercing murderous aura on Bai Lang; the sharpness of the era's top general forced him to retreat. Bai Lang watched him with some sympathy, because once the man left, he burned the letter and then drew his sword to kill himself… "Collect his corpse." Bai Lang told his personal guard. "He has surely written someone's name on it." Bai Lang sighed.

Within a few days, Liu Xuande crushed Yuan Shu's army; in the end, a destitute Yuan Shu died on the road, and his jade seal was taken by his nephew Yuan Yin, who fled with the coffin and his wife to Lujing, where Xu Qiu slew them. Xu Qiu seized the jade seal and presented it to CaoCao in Xudu. CaoCao was delighted and appointed Xu Qiu as Governor of Gaoling. At this point the jade seal belonged to CaoCao. Not long after, news spread that Zhang Yide killed Che Zhou; this completely tore the skin with CaoCao, and CaoCao immediately raised troops to attack LiuBei.

At this time Xuzhou was also in ruins; Liu Xuande, having no other recourse, could only seek aid from Yuan Shao. Bai Lang watched the rise and fall without siding with Liu Xuande; he merely wrote two letters—one to CaoCao and one to LiuBei—to mediate their conflict. Bai Lang also thought of Lady Zhen; he truly wanted to see this historic beauty, but that might make it hard to turn against CaoCao directly. "The so‑called support of the Han throne is nothing compared to a woman… I've finally seen what I really am."

Bai Lang also mocked himself; Liu Xuande has heavenly aid, he can't lose, so if worst comes, let him take Jingzhou and defect to Liu Xuande—that would be a surprise for him.

For months Liu Xuande has defeated the troops CaoCao sent, while CaoCao himself faced Yuan Shao's 300,000‑strong army at Liyang for months, neither side able to advance. After CaoCao returned to Xudu, he could only pause the campaign against Liu Xuande and, as a side note, gave Liu Biao a surprise. He sent a man named Mi Heng…

Bai Lang was also invited to a banquet at the governor of Jingzhou's residence. As a guest he sat in the second seat; the chief seat was occupied by Liu Biao Liu Jingsheng, followed by Jingzhou's civil and military officials. A messenger from Xudu, Mi Heng, arrived, and Liu Biao asked him to come up to inquire about the emperor's condition. "That looks fairly normal, probably because he hasn't gone mad yet," Bai Lang thought, watching the so‑called drum‑beat, curses‑at‑Cao madman Mi Heng; now this fellow's attire and demeanor were completely ordinary, showing no sign of his poisonous tongue.