Chapter 445: How Dare I Claim to Be a Healer of the State

In the fifth year of Jian’an, early summer of the fourth month, fifteen li west of Langling City in Runan, where the borders of the three commanderies of Nanyang, Runan, and Jiangxia met, a natural rural market had formed at a strategic crossroads. Outside this gathering point, a massive, well-ordered army numbering in the tens of thousands was advancing along the official road… Banners arrayed in rows, iron armor gleaming, blades, spears, bows, and arrows — nothing was lacking.

Because of this, the crowd gathered at the market to watch numbered not merely in the hundreds or thousands. Among them, some were astonished, some were curious, but the vast majority were wary and fearful.

This sentiment had nothing to do with which faction they favored. In truth, the vast majority of Langling’s local commoners felt gratitude and approval toward the General Who Pacifies the North and Governor of Yuzhou, Liu Bei, above them. It was only after Liu Bei occupied this place that they had been able to gradually resume production. Moreover, they had long since received orders passed down from the village and ting stations, saying that Governor Liu’s grand army would be passing through this area and that they must make way for a time.

Yet understanding was one thing. Aside from newborn infants, nearly everyone had lived through the long period of war and upheaval, and they all knew the cruelty and despair that lay behind the chaos of war. To say one was not afraid — was that not simply deceiving oneself?

“How many years has it been?” Watching the final wave of over a thousand elite armored soldiers, clustered around several high-spirited officers and aides, ride past this gathering point without pause, continuing their march west, the people in the market breathed a sigh of relief but could not help discussing among themselves. “Is there going to be war again?”

“Not even three years — two and a half, to be exact.” Someone counted on their fingers and spoke with certainty. “Before the second year of Jian’an, there was war the whole time. In the second year of Jian’an itself, the fighting went on right here for an entire year. The Yu River and the Bi River to the west both ran red back then… In the third year of Jian’an, the autumn harvest wasn’t plundered. In the fourth year of Jian’an, the autumn harvest wasn’t plundered. This year, we were hoping for one more year, which would make three years of stable autumn harvests. And now, in the end, there’s going to be war again…”

“It might not really be war,” someone else could not help interjecting. “Didn’t they say our General Liu has formed alliances with the generals and governors all around?”

“If there’s no war, why are they moving troops?” This remark immediately drew a round of scolding.

“So what if there’s an alliance? Can you trust the words of those who feast on flesh?”

“Didn’t you see so many elite soldiers wearing iron armor? If they’re not going to war, could they be going to fetch relatives?”

“That one surnamed Cao who controls Nanyang and Chen Commandery to the north — I heard he’s even our General Liu’s sworn brother…” The man, momentarily besieged by criticism, was indignant and unwilling to back down, and immediately seized on a reason.

“So what if he’s a sworn brother?” Someone beside him said with a mocking expression, lowering their voice. “I heard a traveling merchant passing through say before that this man surnamed Cao was also sworn brothers with that General Sun who used to be here. But as soon as General Sun died, Nanyang was snatched away by him, and even his nephew was driven back to the family home in Jiangdong… I also heard that this man surnamed Cao was unfilial to his own father and refused to let his own father enter the family gate!”

“You must be spouting nonsense!” The man under attack immediately shot back with contempt. “If that were true, would our General Liu still have sworn brotherhood with him?!”

These words at once left the bystanders speechless.

“You need not worry.” Just then, a young scholar seated inside a tea house by the market, who had been sheltering from the army’s passage, could finally listen no longer. Half correcting, half consoling, he said, “Governor Liu is indeed mobilizing troops to fight, but it is not to do battle with Cao Fenwu. Rather, according to the alliance pact made two and a half years ago, he is going south of the Great River to aid the Grand Administrator of Yuzhang, Zhu Hao. And the situation with Zhu Hao is somewhat unusual — it may not even come to actual fighting… It is only because those generals and marshals just now are ordinarily stationed in the western section of Runan, and it is faster to enter the Great River by way of Jiangxia, which is under Governor Liu of Jingzhou’s jurisdiction, that they passed through here.”

The crowd understood only half of it.

Seeing this, the scholar could not help but rest a hand on the long sword at his waist and laugh in spite of himself: “In a word, this troop movement may not lead to real fighting, and even if it does, it absolutely will not spread to this place!”

At this, the people from the ting compound gathered around the tea house were immediately relieved. The tea house owner even loudly insisted on giving this scholar an extra pot of tea.

Hearing this, the scholar could not help laughing again: “Though it may not spread here, once the Long River is blockaded, this tea of yours will inevitably be unable to be shipped in. In the future, the price of tea will surely rise — wouldn’t I be taking great advantage of you?”

The tea house owner did not mind. While brewing tea for the man, he answered offhandedly: “What is the young sir saying? In the chaos of past years, for years on end we couldn’t even buy salt. Once the fighting dragged on, soldiers and bandits would inevitably come together to loot and plunder. Out of every ten households, two or three would starve to death or be beaten to death, and some would follow along to become bandits or soldiers, only to leave and never return. Now it’s merely that tea goods from the south will be cut off for a time — who cares about that? And with a single sentence, the young sir has set our hearts at ease. We need not be so frightened that we cannot sleep, nor need we, in a moment of panic, take our wives and children to hide in the mountains. What is a pot of tea compared to that?… Take your time. I must still go tell my own elder sister’s husband’s family at the other end of the market that it’s fighting on the Long River, so there’s no need to worry. If you need anything, just call for this half-grown boy of mine.”

The scholar nodded slightly. He felt, on the contrary, that his own jest had been somewhat frivolous, so he forthrightly accepted the pot of tea and continued eating his flatbread and drinking tea in the shade in front of the tea house.

However, just as he had finished slowly chewing and swallowing his food with the tea and was taking out a second pot of tea to enjoy at leisure, waiting for the afternoon sun to pass before resuming his journey, another group of patrons seated inside the tea house took the initiative to call him over to share a table and chat idly.

In truth, this young scholar had long since noticed the peculiarity of the other party inside the tea house… The leader of this group was about fifty years of age, with graying hair but a ruddy complexion. His clothing and such were also more luxurious than his own, and he was attended by a retinue. By all reason, he should have been a scholar-official of some standing.

Yet despite his numerous attendants, this man also carried many chests and cases, filled with bottles, jars, metal and earthenware vessels, both dry and wet — somewhat resembling a merchant.

That was not all. Though clearly a scholar, when they had earlier witnessed the army’s movement, this group had been just as bewildered and alarmed as the common folk here, utterly unaware of the turmoil in Jiangnan, which was even more suspicious.

And now, when the other party invited him over, it was indeed to ask about the military situation.

“There is really not much to say. Isn’t warfare always like this?” After exchanging a few words, although the fifty-year-old elder did not speak, his several scholar-attendants were all men of name, surname, and background from various parts of the Central Plains, clearly not people of unknown origin. The young sword-wearing scholar thus became much more forthcoming.

“Two years ago, Sun Ce, son of General Polu, escorted his father’s coffin south, traveling from Danyang to his family home in Fuchun in Wu Commandery. Along the way, he seized the momentum to attack and occupy considerable territory west of the Zhen Marsh. At that time, Zhu Jun was already in failing health and unable to respond. Fortunately, however, the Nanyang alliance was successfully formed, and Sun Ce, wary of repercussions, used his chief subordinate Zhu Zhi as an intermediary, invoking the past friendship between the Sun and Zhu families, and had Governor Liu act as guarantor to reach a peaceful accord with the Zhu clan… At that time, both sides agreed that Sun Ce would take all of Wu Commandery, while the Zhu clan would hold the two commanderies of Yuzhang and Kuaiji. As for the Grand Administrator of Danyang, Zhou Shang, he was originally from Lujiang, and his entire clan resided under Governor Liu’s rule, so he simply attached himself to Governor Liu.

And now two years have passed. Sun Ce underwent his capping ceremony last year, taking the courtesy name Bofu, and styled himself General Polu. With his footing now secure, he naturally wishes to expand. As the saying goes, as one rises, the other wanes. The Governor of Jiaozhou, Zhu Jun, however, passed away last year. With his death, all was finished. Of his two sons, one held Kuaiji and the other held Yuzhang. Among them, Zhu Fu, who occupied Kuaiji, was notoriously greedy, crude, and violent, and the people of Kuaiji all refused to submit to him. Thus, this past spring, he was easily defeated by Sun Bofu.”

“I understand now,” said the fifty-year-old leader, who had remained silent all along. The one handling the conversation was a man of about thirty from Guangling named Wu Pu. He immediately grasped the situation. “This must be Sun Ce, insatiable in his greed — having taken Kuaiji, he now wants Yuzhang, and even Danyang. Although Governor Liu’s mind is entirely on the Central Plains, for the sake of the greater situation, he must, regardless, go and teach this nephew of his a lesson…”

“Master Wu is perceptive,” the young scholar immediately nodded.

“Alas, why are there always endless wars under Heaven?” Hearing this, the fifty-year-old leader finally stroked his beard and sighed. “Would it not be better for the realm to be at peace? One must understand that it is easy to heal a person but difficult to heal the world. Once the chaos of war begins, the dead and wounded are countless — and how could the casualties be limited to the battlefield alone? As those local commoners just said, they have only barely managed to pass two autumn harvests in peace…” Having spoken thus far, the elder suddenly found it strange. “I have lived so long — I have seen thirty years of peace, and I have seen ten years of unending war. Now I do not even know whether these two years without conflict should be considered truly rare, or utterly insignificant.”

“This junior is Xu Shu of Yingchuan, courtesy name Yuanzhi. I pay my respects to the elder…” Seeing that this man had finally spoken, Xu Shu hurriedly rose to offer greetings once the elder had finished.

“Xu Yuanzhi, is it?” The elder seemed slightly impatient, as if he had no intention of giving his own name at all. “Sit. I can see you are a man of insight, while we are largely ignorant of these matters — that is why I called you over… Let me ask you: when will this warfare cease? Once the matter at Shouchun is settled, I still wish to travel to Jiangdong.”

“Yes…” Xu Shu rested a hand on his sword and sat back down on the long bench. After a moment’s thought, he gave a bitter smile. “If we speak only of this particular conflict, I believe it will absolutely not delay the elder’s journey south. For although Sun Bofu advances like fire, he can by no means be a match for Governor Liu. I fear that with the slightest clash, after suffering some losses, he will have no choice but to withdraw directly back to Wu Commandery and Kuaiji. However, I would not advise the elder and his party to go to Jiangdong…”

“Why is that?” The group across from him exchanged glances, and Wu Pu promptly asked.

“Because Sun Bofu will never be content with just two commanderies. Even though Governor Liu’s troops are stronger than his, his power greater, and his generals superior, Sun Bofu will only bide his time. Once the Central Plains fall into chaos and Governor Liu has no leisure to look behind him, that man may well break his oath and resort to arms. And when that time comes, where he will strike, and which place he will attack — none can say.” Xu Shu spoke with frank sincerity. “And the Central Plains are on the verge of great chaos, and Governor Liu will soon have no leisure to look south… For your honored party, it would never be wrong to avoid Jiangdong. It is not merely a matter of whether you can avoid the calamity of war, but rather a worry about whether you could return safely when the time comes.”

“Understood.” Wu Pu pondered briefly, nodded slightly, but could not help asking in a low voice, “But how could the Central Plains fall into chaos? Surely Cao Fenwu and Governor Liu would never take up arms against each other? And Governor Liu of Jingzhou and Tao of Xuzhou do not seem like men who would rashly start a war, either?”

“Let me put it this way,” Xu Shu said earnestly after choosing his words. “This matter has nothing to do with Governor Liu, Cao Fenwu, or even Governor Liu of Jingzhou and Tao of Xuzhou. As you, sir, have said, they should have no intention of initiating conflict themselves… But the realm is about to undergo a change, and change inevitably breeds chaos. Unfortunately, the Central Plains, unlike Hebei, is the result of an alliance among various regional lords and is not a single entity, so this chaos will inevitably spread to the Central Plains.”

“What change?” Wu Pu grew even more puzzled, and the elder also furrowed his brow.

“The Son of Heaven has bound up his hair and begun his studies,” Xu Shu answered somewhat awkwardly. “The Son of Heaven should have bound his hair last year. At that time, some already suggested selecting consorts for the imperial harem, but the General of the Guards used some pretext about nominal age versus actual age to muddle through for a year. And now, in the fourth month of this year, it is precisely the Son of Heaven’s sixteenth birthday. No matter what, no matter how one calculates, he must bind his hair, begin his studies, select lecturers, and establish the rear palace… The General of the Guards can no longer muddle through.”

“I vaguely understand a little, but I still do not fully grasp it,” Wu Pu said, also inside the tea house, earnestly and quietly inquiring. “I must ask Yuanzhi, out of consideration for my dullness, to be more direct.”

“Let me put it this way,” Xu Shu suddenly gave a bitter smile. “For many years before, the realm was in turmoil. The various generals, governors, inspectors, and grand administrators carved up provinces and counties, fighting without cease, so that warfare continued year after year. Even to cease fighting and suppress bandits required forming an alliance… Case after case, matter after matter — it was as if they could not survive without contending and battling. May I ask, then, why did they contend, and what exactly were they contending for? One must understand that their offices also existed in times of peace — why did they not contend then? In those times, did they need an alliance to join forces and suppress bandits?”

Wu Pu and the others grew increasingly bewildered.

“Because at that time, there was the restraint of the imperial court!” Xu Shu did not keep them in suspense but directly pointed out the crux. “The court had authority, the house of Han had prestige and virtue, and everyone was originally one body… But the house of Han gradually declined, and the central pivot became powerless. The authority and prestige that belonged to the central pivot and the house of Han naturally fell downward. What these men are contending for is precisely this authority and prestige cast off by the house of Han! Yet since everyone was formerly colleagues, none could accept another riding roughshod over them, lording it with arrogance. So they had no choice but to meet blade with blade and decide who was superior. Among them, the General of the Guards seized the most, which is why he is the General of the Guards. And Governor Liu, Cao Fenwu, and the others, being no match for him, could only band together to counterbalance him.”

The group in the tea house could not help exchanging glances — whether they were beginning to understand or had thought of something else was unclear.

“And now the Son of Heaven has reached the age of sixteen. He is, after all, the universally acknowledged Son of Heaven of the house of Han, so he must, as a matter of course, reclaim a portion of the house of Han’s authority…” Speaking to this point, Xu Shu could not help smiling bitterly. “But authority and prestige have long since been divided up and snatched away by those below. Who would be willing to hand them back? And if they do not hand them back, the four-hundred-year majesty of the house of Han still holds some sway — people’s hearts will not submit, and this lack of submission will breed chaos! Once chaos arises at the central pivot, it will inevitably spread to the various lords, and the entire realm will be shaken by it. When that time comes, the flames of war will inevitably rise again. As for why I say the chaos will arise in the Central Plains, it is not because the Son of Heaven wants to reclaim the authority of the Central Plains lords, but rather that under the great momentum, none can escape. And compared to Hebei, the Central Plains is, after all, a situation maintained by the combined strength of several families. When the time comes, whether they strike first or wait passively, I fear they will be the first to be unable to hold firm.”

“That can be considered a kind of argument,” the elder finally spoke again. “All principles under Heaven are interconnected. You have materialized authority and prestige into tangible things, like water and grain — it is quite original and easy to understand.”

“The elder flatters me undeservedly,” Xu Shu rose again to bow. “May I presume to ask the elder’s name…”

“There is no need for such excessive courtesy. I have no patience for it,” the elder gestured casually. “I am Hua Tuo of Qiao County in the Pei State, courtesy name Yuanhua. My heart is set solely on the art of medicine; I have no desire to be an official, so I disregard all formalities… Since Jiangdong is not good to go to, after we come out from Shouchun, why don’t we simply go to Guangling, and then travel to the northern part of Xuzhou?”

The first part of this was an introduction for Xu Shu; the latter part was addressed to his own traveling companions. Upon hearing this, Wu Pu was immediately overjoyed: “I was just hoping my honored teacher would come and stay a while at my home. Teacher, you do not know — the fish sashimi of our Guangling is famous throughout the realm…”

“Eat less fish sashimi!” Hearing this, Hua Tuo immediately put on a stern expression and lectured him. “Raw fish meat easily carries parasite eggs, which can still grow once they enter your body. Why do you think those epidemic prevention booklets repeatedly say to drink boiled water, not unboiled water? Why do they say to avoid snails? It is all the same principle!”

Wu Pu was momentarily stunned.

At that moment, Xu Shu, who had been stunned beside them for a long while, finally reacted and hurriedly bowed deeply: “I have long heard of the great name of the Immortal Physician…”

“That saying again. I myself do not know how I became the Immortal Physician…” Seeing this, Hua Tuo grew even more impatient. “Think of me, a scholar who loves the art of medicine — ever since I bound my hair, I have been traveling around treating people’s illnesses. For thirty or forty years, I do not know how many difficult and complicated cases I have seen. I also wrote books early on; the Five Animal Frolics and Mafeisan were also developed long ago. Yet no one called me the Immortal Physician. Then that General of the Guards, whom I have never even met, and his mother, with a single word, turned me into the Immortal Physician… As if I, like Zhang Jiao, could summon the wind, call the rain, and draw down lightning.”

“Lord Yuanhua has actually never met the General of the Guards and his mother? Then what of the proclamations issued last year, and these epidemic prevention booklets — how did they come about?” Even for Xu Shu, who had always wandered the four corners of the realm, been a bandit, and studied books — a man of considerable experience — he was utterly astonished on the spot. He even pulled a woodblock-printed booklet from his bosom, utterly disregarding the talk of summoning lightning or whatnot.

Hearing this question, Hua Tuo merely gave a cold snort, too lazy to say more.

It was his disciple, Wu Pu of Guangling, who smiled bitterly and explained a few things on behalf of his honored teacher: “In truth, I will not hide it from Yuanzhi — my honored teacher has never provided medical treatment to that General of the Guards and his mother in the north. He has not even been to Hebei, let alone met them. But for some unknown reason, that General of the Guards and his mother insist on calling my teacher the Immortal Physician, and calling Zhang Zhongjing of Nanyang the Medical Sage. They also frequently use my teacher’s and Lord Zhang’s names to issue those proclamations and print these booklets, telling the people of the realm to prevent epidemics…”

“The booklets are forgeries?” Xu Shu was momentarily alarmed. “My elderly mother at home has always followed the health-preserving methods taught in here… What is to be done?”

“Yuanzhi need not be overly anxious. In truth, this is also where we find it difficult to argue against them, because the things written in these proclamations and booklets — such as washing hands frequently, bathing frequently, drinking boiled water, building latrines, and exterminating mosquitoes, flies, and rats — these are all things that can never be wrong no matter how much one does them! And for mild heatstroke, drinking cool salted water; for mild wind-cold, boiling Great Qing root and drinking the decoction — these are also extremely appropriate remedies. Even the matter of drinking more tea regularly: at first we thought it was the Anli Trading Company wanting to sell tea, but later, after drinking it, even my honored teacher felt that tea is indeed a good thing beneficial to the body… As for some of the crude and erroneous Five Animal Frolics in the booklet, and that Eye-Protecting Frolic, although they are somewhat simplified compared to my gracious teacher’s Five Animal Frolics, they still broadly contain medical principles.”

Xu Shu let out a breath of relief, then suddenly looked enlightened again: "No wonder I never heard the Medical Immortal refute it…"

"The key point is, even if he refuted it, no one would believe him." Another of Hua Tuo's disciples couldn't help but interject. "The proclamation was issued by the illustrious General of the Guards himself, and that booklet was printed and distributed all across the realm. I've heard people say it reached Ba Shu, Xiliang, and even the South Sea. With such a grand effort, tell me, who would believe the words of a bunch of physicians? Wherever we go, when we say we don't know the General of the Guards or his mother, they all just assume our master wants peace and quiet... It's true our master wants peace and quiet, but he genuinely doesn't know them! Our master has never even been to Youzhou in his life. How could he have discussed medical principles with the Elder Lady Gongsun and the Medical Sage Zhang Zhongjing ten years ago in Liaoxi, in a question-and-answer session described as if it were vividly before one's eyes?"

"Not only that!" Another of Hua Tuo's disciples couldn't resist venting. "You must understand, people are different from one another. Although the information in the booklet is correct, when encountering someone with a unique constitution, adjustments must be made accordingly; one cannot follow the booklet blindly... Late last year, our master encountered just such a case and wrote a separate prescription. But the patient was literate and directly used the booklet to curse our master, saying, 'This is the Medical Immortal's prescription. A mere wandering physician from the Central Plains like you knows nothing of medicine — how dare you presumptuously alter it?!'"

"In fact, even with Zhang Zhongjing, our master only met him for the first time this spring in Nanyang, after that booklet swept the realm last year, when he made a special visit..." Wu Pu continued with a wry smile. "Zhang Gong is better off. His family is a Nanyang gentry clan, and his elder brother Zhang Xian serves under Liu Jingsheng as Grand Administrator of the major commandery of Changsha, so no one dares disturb him. But as for our master, ever since that booklet and proclamation appeared, not to mention how wherever he goes and reveals his name, high officials and nobles try to detain him by force — what's worse, some people, after talking with us and learning about the booklet, actually thought the General of the Guards was using this as a way to seek out our master. So they wanted to tie us up and ship us to Hebei as a stepping stone for their own advancement! We were lucky to flee quickly!"

"This..." Xu Shu had initially thought the matter too absurd, but when he looked down and saw the sword at his waist, he was suddenly speechless, then immediately changed his tone. "Actually, this kind of thing must be viewed from both sides. In this way, when Master Yuanhua goes to treat patients again, those who conceal their illness and avoid doctors will surely be far fewer, won't they? For instance, that man who cursed you earlier — if he had to give his real name, he would certainly follow the medical advice earnestly."

"That is true." Hua Tuo nodded slightly with a sigh, momentarily unsure what else to say.

It must be said, Hua Tuo's group had taken a liking to Xu Shu from the start because, despite his imposing appearance — tall, on a large horse, with a fine sword — his conduct was simple and unpretentious, utterly without the airs of a scholar-official, and he even took the initiative to comfort the common folk. After this exchange, seeing that he was neither servile nor overbearing, and crucially, upon learning he was Hua Tuo, neither pestered him nor looked down on him — a rare clear-minded man among the scholar-officials — they, as non-mainstream scholars of this era, could not help but appreciate him even more.

Later, upon further inquiry, they discovered both parties were crossing the Huai River to Shouchun and happened to be traveling the same route. So they simply invited him to journey together. Xu Shu, being a free-spirited man himself, made no pretense, and directly led his horse with his sword slung across his back to accompany them, acting as Hua Tuo's guard.

It was only upon reaching Shouchun that they learned why Hua Tuo had come: Cao Cao's own father, the former Grand Commandant Cao Song, who had long resided there, had fallen ill. Since Cao Song and Cao Cao were fellow townsmen, and it was Cao Cao's own younger brother Cao De who had personally gone to Zhang Zhongjing's home to make the request, Hua Yuanhua truly could not refuse. Thus, he had no choice but to halt his academic exchange with Zhang Zhongjing and lead his disciples from Nanyang to this place.

After arriving in Shouchun, Xu Shu waited a long time. It was not until Hua Tuo had finished treating Cao Song, even teaching him the Five Animal Frolics, and was preparing to leave for Guangling, that Xu Shu finally received news of his target, Zhang Fei. It turned out that Liu Bei had easily crossed the river and defeated Sun Ce, but suddenly heard that Tao Qian of Xuzhou was gravely ill. Startled, he hastily forced Sun Bofu and Zhu Hao to sign a truce beneath the city walls, then immediately withdrew his forces.

The tens of thousands of troops mostly returned to their respective posts, but a single corps of ten thousand elite soldiers directly under Shouchun's command, led by trusted generals Zhang Fei, Zhou Tai, Lu Su, and Chen Wu, headed straight for Xuzhou.

And so, unable to meet his target, Xu Shu once again joined up with the Medical Immortal Hua Tuo's group and headed for Guangling. Hua Tuo and his disciples, genuinely fond of this young man skilled in both letters and martial arts, were more than happy to have him.

Of course, when the group reached Guangling in the fifth month, before they could even taste a single slice of raw fish, they were hurriedly dispatched by the local Grand Administrator Zhao Yu, in a manner bordering on kidnapping, to Xiapi City in Xiapi Commandery — the de facto provincial seat where Tao Qian now resided.

Naturally, this saved Xu Shu the trouble of traveling north specifically to find Zhang Fei, for there was no reason they would not meet in Xiapi.

Only, what he saw along the way — a Xuzhou that had long been at peace suddenly thrown into alarm, with soldiers and weapons everywhere — suddenly reminded Xu Yuanzhi of an idle remark the General of the Guards had made in a proclamation two autumns prior, when he marched north beyond the Yinshan mountains.

It went precisely thus:

Of all things under heaven, war alone is not easy!

—————I am the dividing line where war never changes—————

"Cao, having become General of the Resolute Warriors and acting as leader of the Central Plains alliance, made a pact with Liu Bei, Governor of Yuzhou, that they must implement the new policies to prove worthy of the realm before they could turn north to contend. Upon his return, land surveys were obstructed in the south by his father Song and his younger brother Hong, and in the north by the great magnate of Yanzhou, Li Qian. The imperial examination matters were likewise obstructed by the Yanzhou celebrities Bian Rang and Zhang Miao. Song and Hong were Cao's own flesh and blood; Qian, Rang, and Miao were those who had surrendered Yanzhou to him, the very pillars upon whom Cao's power relied... Men of the time considered it difficult, and Cao indeed slowed the implementation of the new policies, appointing Li Qian as General of the Household and Bian Rang as Attendant Officer. In the first month, he arranged for his father Song and his younger brother Hong to travel via Shouchun to Jiangdong to deliver his daughter for marriage to Sun Ce, while also sending Rang and Qian as envoys to Shouchun to renew the alliance, and further petitioned to appoint Miao as Grand Administrator of Danyang. The five men traveled together. Crossing the Sui River, Song's second son De and Qian's younger brother Jin set fire to the boats and bridge behind them. Liu Bei also sent Zhang Fei, spear in hand, leading armored soldiers with bared blades to cut off their retreat, forcing them on to Shouchun. Only then did the five men realize the truth, but they could never return north of the Sui. Cao then implemented the new policies. At that time, the Grand Ancestor was in Hebei. Hearing of this, he sighed: 'This was surely Cao Mengde's own stratagem!'" — Old Book of Yan, Volume 26, Hereditary Houses, Second

(End of Chapter)