Chapter 54 Cao Cao's Calculation

When Fei Qian followed Cai Yong back, Cai Yong still appeared sorrowful and reluctant to part. Upon entering the city, Cai Yong had no mood to chat further with Fei Qian, so the two parted ways to return home separately.

Halfway along the street, Fei Qian suddenly noticed a figure at the corner that resembled Cao Cao. Just as he was about to call out, the figure turned the corner and disappeared. He thought to himself, maybe it wasn’t him, but what had Cao Cao been up to recently? No one had seen or heard much about him lately.

Fei Qian recalled from his memory of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms that Cao Cao had conspired with Wang Yun and then wielded a treasured sword to assassinate Dong Zhuo. It sounded plausible enough, but based on Fei Qian’s recent encounters with Cao Cao, the man’s suspicious nature made it unlikely he would so readily brandish a blade like a hot-blooded youth charging into battle.

He mused that if Cao Cao had truly obtained the Seven-Star Sword, he would probably have immediately offered it to Dong Zhuo and then fled Luoyang, spreading word that he had attempted assassination but failed, thereby boosting his own reputation. That seemed more in line with Cao Cao’s character.

Ah, the Midpoint Spear technique Zhang Liao taught him still needed practice before the ointment’s effects wore off; he had to master it fully by then. Time was slipping away too quickly. The situation grew ever more tense: after Yuan Shao fled, Cao Cao would be on the run, and then the Battle of Hulao Pass would ensue. Once the allied forces from the east sealed off the pass, escape would be impossible.

Yet so many tasks lay at hand—Old Liu Hong had left behind a mountain of textbooks and assignments; Cai Yan had, for some unknown reason, assigned him a trove of books and stone rubbings to copy; and then there was Zhang Liao’s self-defense spear technique.

Fei Qian shook his head mournfully. Why, upon transmigration, couldn’t he instantly grasp skills? In those other time-travel dramas he’d watched, people would bow and call their new lord at a word. They’d learn techniques effortlessly, soon able to single-handedly defeat Lu Bu and Guan Yu, outwit Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi. But here he was, cautious around everyone, sore after learning even a single move.

He longed for the days when a few heartfelt words about the world’s suffering would bring people to their knees. Otherwise, with his office-trained tongue, he might just be able to fool those fools who so easily bowed their heads in submission.

But for now, he could only sigh with envy. What a vexing feeling.

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Cao Cao personally paced the route step by step.

The royal palaces of Eastern Han’s Luoyang were primarily the Southern and Northern Palaces, connected by a triple path known as the “Fu Dao.” The central path was reserved for the emperor, flanked by two side paths for officials and attendants.

The north gate of the Southern Palace faced the south gate of the Northern Palace, creating the impression of “two palaces gazing at each other, twin towers over a hundred feet tall.” The entire palace complex formed a slightly larger “Lü” shape.

Initially, Emperor Liu Xiu had focused administrative affairs in the Southern Palace, resulting in numerous intricate halls and pavilions. But by the late Eastern Han, especially during Emperor Ling’s reign, the emperor had grown lazy and avoided even walking the Fu Dao, choosing instead to hold court in the Northern Palace. Gradually, the administrative center shifted north.

Yuan Shu had planned with Cao Cao to place the deposed emperor Liu Bian in one of the Southern Palace’s halls, most likely the Jiade Hall north of Mingguang Hall. Jiade Hall had a noble name, but under Emperor Ling’s rule, virtue had long faded. Ling posthumously honored his father as Emperor Xiaoren and his mother, Lady Dong, as Empress Xiaoren, who resided in Jiade Hall.

After Empress Dowager Dou died, Lady Dong finally rose to power as Empress Dowager Dong, meddling in state affairs. With her strong backing, Emperor Ling reached the peak of selling offices and titles, even auctioning off the highest posts. Cui Lie’s position as Minister over the Masses was bought during this period.

In the sixth year of Zhongping, Emperor Ling died in Jiade Hall. Recently, General He Jin had been mysteriously killed in the square before the hall.

Thus, Jiade Hall was sealed off as an ill-omened place.

Under normal circumstances, such a location would be ideal for placing the deposed emperor.

However, according to palace informants, Liu Bian was not in Jiade Hall but hidden in a small palace in Luoyang’s northeast corner—the Yong’an Palace.

Cao Cao suspected that Li Ru, considering the Southern Palace too close to the three highest officials’ mansions for safety—especially with the Grand Commandant’s residence only separated by a few walls—had chosen Yong’an Palace instead.

This arrangement complicated Cao Cao and Yuan Shu’s plans. Originally, escaping from the Southern Palace meant passing just two street intersections to reach the south gate, beyond which lay the Luo River, enabling escape by land or water. With minimal obstruction, they could easily vanish.

Now, with the deposed emperor at Yong’an Palace, only two escape routes existed: one, a direct, shortest path through the Shangdong Gate adjacent to Yong’an Palace, though just north lay Mang Mountain, hindering movement and inviting pursuit; two, passing through the neighborhoods of the elite—Buguangli and Yongheli—and exiting via the Zhongdong Gate. Though longer and riskier, once out through Zhongdong Gate, the bustling horse market of Luoyang provided ample cover for disappearance.

Each path had its merits and drawbacks. Cao Cao could not decide immediately and had come in person to measure and calculate.

Standing by the street in plain robes and a dark hemp cloak, he blended into the crowd. He observed carefully, his mind racing. He knew the Buguangli and Yongheli areas well, frequented by many officials. If he could ensure these nobles stayed indoors at the critical moment, their small retinues and private guards would be unlikely to act independently, thus aiding escape. Once through Zhongdong Gate and into the horse market, blending in was like a fish entering a vast river—hard to find again.

The key was how to keep these nobles obediently inside their mansions when needed.

As for whether to inform Yuan Shu that the deposed emperor was not in the Southern Palace, Cao Cao decided against it without hesitation. After all, Yuan Shu had yet to atone for the betrayal during General He Jin’s incident. Sending Yuan Shu to attack the Southern Palace would distract the guards and lessen pressure on Cao Cao’s side—also serving as payback for that earlier treachery.

To give without receiving would be rude, after all.