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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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“Great Uncle, I’ll help all the family members into the carriages.”
“Wh, what is going on…?”
Cao Song, still bewildered, allowed himself to be led into a carriage. I helped Cao Song’s concubine, Cao De, his wife, and the rest of the family board the carriages after him.
“Bandits attacked us? Where are Tao Qian’s soldiers?”
“Great Uncle, Tao Qian’s soldiers are the bandits.”
“What? That scoundrel Tao Qian!”
Cao Song finally understood everything and flew into a rage, but it was too late. I told him not to accept Zhang Kai’s troops! Why wouldn’t he listen?!
“Quickly, this way! Everyone will die if we stay here!”
“Wait! I can’t find my daughter!”
One of the family members frantically searched for his daughter, then tried to run towards the fighting between the warriors and Tao Qian’s soldiers with his wife.
“It’s too dangerous!”
“No, I’m sure my daughter is there. Just let me go for a moment.”
“We’ll all die!”
“I have to save my daughter!”
As I tried to stop the desperate man and his wife, a loud shout came from behind.
“Wenlie!!!”
“!?”
Xu Shu, drenched in rain and blood, came running, carrying a young girl in his arms.
“Father!”
“My, my daughter!”
It seemed she was the one they were looking for.
Xu Shu ran over and set the child down. The young girl, barefoot, ran into the arms of her parents, who embraced her tightly.
“Let’s go!”
I loaded dozens of Cao family members into two carriages and whipped the horses.
Startled by the sudden strike to their hindquarters, the horses reared, then bolted forward. Cao De took the reins of the other carriage and followed close behind.
Cao Song’s family had been attacked near a small village in Taishan Commandery. Originally, they were destined to have their treasures stolen and their lives taken.
But thanks to my intervention, they narrowly escaped that hell.
Leaving the rest to Xu Shu and Lu Su’s warriors, we pressed onward!
I rode like a madman through the rain. I rode until the horses collapsed from exhaustion.
The rain continued to pour, and my soaked clothes weighed me down, making it difficult to move.
“Huu… Is everyone alright?”
At my call, the carriage door opened, and Cao Song emerged.
“Have we escaped the bandits?”
“We need to let the horses rest. How is everyone else?”
“Oh dear, we barely survived.”
Cao Song took a deep breath, adjusting his soaked collar. The inside of the carriage must have been cramped like a can of sardines. We had hastily loaded dozens of people into two carriages and raced off, so it must have been agonizing.
“We’ll set off again once the horses have rested. I know it’s uncomfortable, but please bear with it a little longer.”
“Hey, Xiu.”
Cao Song somehow managed to crawl out of the cramped carriage and came over to me.
“Sir, the rain is cold. Please stay inside.”
“No, before we go, I need to understand what happened.”
Even though it was over, he wanted to know, so I explained.
“When I set out for Langya after hearing you were there, I met many warriors along the way.”
“Ye, yes. But those men…?”
“We came to escort you and your family, of course. I didn’t trust the men who came as escorts from Xu Province. Furthermore, it seems that Zhang Kai wasn’t originally one of Governor Tao Qian’s subordinates.”
“Oh dear, I was fooled into thinking those bandits were my escorts.”
His realization came a little too late. Well, even if I had told him, “Those men are suspicious, so don’t accept their escort,” he wouldn’t have listened. In the end, we had only managed to save the lives of the Cao family.
“We had over one hundred carts filled with gold, silver, and treasures. Now all that’s left are the few trinkets we wear.”
Cao Song’s eyes reddened, despite the rain washing over his face.
“But everyone survived, and that’s what matters. Let’s go to Yan Province and seek refuge with the Governor.”
“Yes, Aman… Aman won’t let those scoundrels get away with this.”
Aman was Cao Cao’s childhood name. At this time, only close friends or family members could call someone by their childhood name. Even the fearsome Cao Cao was called ‘Aman’ by his father.
“Yes, let’s get to Yan Province first and think about what to do next.”
I comforted Cao Song, helped him back into the carriage, and we set off again.
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After whipping the horses through the night, we finally arrived at a small village just as dawn broke. As soon as we arrived, dozens of Cao family members tumbled out of the carriages, ravenous.
It wasn’t a proper meal, but even with just a mat spread out and bowls of rice with chopsticks, they devoured everything.
“Innkeeper, bring us more rice and side dishes.”
“Yes, right away.”
The innkeeper looked at the Cao family with pity, as if they were refugees who had encountered bandits.
“Innkeeper, will this be enough to cover the meal for forty people?”
“Oh my, yes! More than enough.”
I handed him a silver ingot, and the innkeeper’s face lit up as he pocketed it. The innkeeper, pleased with the generous payment, brought out various side dishes and water for the forty members of the family. Everyone finally had a chance to fill their bellies and catch their breath.
“Sir, sir!”
“Hmm?”
One of the villagers rushed over to me.
“Sir, there are soldiers on horseback approaching the village. Are they with you?”
“Hmm?”
I instinctively gripped my sword and rushed over. Fortunately, it wasn’t Tao Qian’s pursuit, but Xu Shu and his group.
“Brother Yuanzhi.”
“Wenlie, you made it out safely.”
Xu Shu’s new clothes, bought in Xu Province, were once again stained with blood. The warriors around him were also covered in blood and wounds, having barely escaped with their lives.
“Is there a physician here? These men need treatment!”
At my command, the villagers brought hot water, cloth for bandages, and dried herbs to treat the wounded warriors.
“Master Cao! We fought against five hundred men!”
“Plucking a wolf’s whiskers is nothing compared to this! We barely survived. Double the pay won’t be enough for this.”
“Poor Yang Jia. He said he’d quit being a wandering warriors and buy a farm after this job. What a shame.”
“We barely made it out alive. Those bastards were relentless.”
Seven of the twenty warriors had lost their lives, and the rest were injured, some seriously.
“What happened to the troops led by Zhang Kai?”
“After we retreated, the carts carrying the gold, silver, and treasures disappeared from Taishan. They must have taken it.”
So, Cao Song’s family fortune ended up in someone else’s pockets. Still, with the remaining men, we should be able to reach Yan Province.
“I’ll settle the accounts as soon as we arrive in Yan Province. I’ll also provide a separate share for those who died. Please convey that to Master Lu Su.”
“I will.”
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The remaining warriors agreed to accompany us to Yan Province. After resting in the village for a few days, we set off again and finally arrived in Yan Province.
Everything went smoothly after that. Upon arriving in Puyang, Yan Province, Governor Zhang Miao welcomed our ragged group. He then provided a safe escort to Chenliu, where Cao Cao was stationed.
In Chenliu, there was a mansion even larger than the government office. It was the size of a palace.
“We’re finally safe. I can finally relax.”
Cao Song, having changed into new silk robes and looking refreshed, entered the mansion triumphantly.
He clasped my hand and walked alongside me.
“Xiu, I’ll tell Aman everything about how you saved our family. Aman will value a talented member of our clan like you.”
“Hahaha, thank you.”
I had changed history by saving Cao Song’s family. And since Cao Song was going to tell Cao Cao about my contributions, I had definitely made a good first impression.
As we entered the mansion and the doors opened, a figure rushed towards us.
“Father!!!”
“Oh, Aman!”
A man rushed out barefoot and clasped Cao Song’s hands, bowing deeply. He was short in stature, but his voice was resonant and powerful.
As he raised his head, I could finally see Cao Cao’s face clearly. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but he wasn’t ugly either.
However, his piercing gaze was intimidating, even upon first meeting, and his neatly trimmed beard gave him a sharp, almost blade-like appearance.
What a presence. Was this the true face of Cao Cao?
“I was deeply worried when I heard that Tao Qian sent his men to attack our family in Xu Province.”
“Aman, I nearly died. If it weren’t for Wenlie here, we would all be dead.”
“This young man?”
Cao Cao finally turned his attention to me. Even a brief glance from him felt incredibly imposing.
“Aman, he’s a member of our family from Wu Commandery. Cao Ding’s grandson, your ninth cousin.”
“….”
Cao Cao stared intently at me without saying a word. My heart pounded harder than it had during the pirate attack or the ambush by Tao Qian’s soldiers.
“This boy led a group of warriors and escorted me, saving our family and me from those bandits.”
“Is that so?”
Cao Cao immediately approached me. He looked me up and down, then abruptly grabbed my hand.
“Whoa?!”
“Haha… AHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Cao Cao suddenly burst into laughter, still holding my hand.
“Our clan still had such a hidden talent? You seem like a remarkable young man.”
“Aman, this boy saved our lives.”
“Yes, I understand perfectly, Father.”
Cao Cao laughed even louder after hearing Cao Song’s words.
From our very first meeting, I had caught Cao Cao’s attention.
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Family road trip gone wrong: bandits, betrayal, and a surprise meet-and-greet with history’s scariest dad—Cao Cao nihaoo! 🚗💨🔪😂
