101 Victory Banquet

After expressing his deepest gratitude to Su Ming, Zhao Yun finally rode back to camp.

Once Zhao Yun returned, Su Ming also made his way back.

“My son, why did you let him go?” Seeing Su Ming return, Cao Cao looked puzzled.

Cao Cao thought to himself, this is a fierce general; even if you didn’t kill him, you should have at least captured him, right?

“This Zhao Zilong of Changshan is rare both in martial skill and character,” Su Ming explained.

“Even if I had captured him, he wouldn’t have surrendered. I respect him as a true man, which is why I released him.”

“Besides, didn’t he just swear on the battlefield? Zhao Zilong vowed never to oppose Cao’s camp, nor harm a single soldier or general.”

“I stake my own head to guarantee that Zhao Zilong will not break his oath,” Su Ming said slowly.

After hearing Su Ming’s words, Cao Cao was touched.

Wasn’t he the same way with Guan Yu, Lord Guan, back then?

During the matter of Tushan, Guan Yu had pledged allegiance to Cao Cao, but upon learning his brother’s whereabouts, he stormed through the army, slaying many of Cao’s generals.

When Guan Yu was finally captured by Su Ming, Cao Cao still couldn’t bring himself to kill him and instead released him.

Today, on the battlefield, Su Ming at least got Zhao Yun to swear not to oppose Cao’s forces. Back then, Guan Yu didn’t even swear yet was still set free by Cao Cao.

Thinking of this, Cao Cao couldn’t help but speak from the heart: “Indeed, when I let Guan Yunchang go, it was because I respected him as a true hero!”

“My son Su Ming, in this regard, you truly are like your father.”

Hearing this, Su Ming retorted without hesitation, “Huh? Like me? Then tell me, how many of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun can you fight?”

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun—Su Ming alone fought all three. Cao Cao said Su Ming was like him, so Su Ming asked, how many could he handle?

This question stunned Cao Cao.

He wondered if he had been too lenient or if Su Ming was going through a rebellious phase. To speak so boldly in front of the entire army!

At that moment, Guo Jia stepped in to ease the tension: “That’s mistaken, my lord. The young master is still young, while the lord is already aged.”

“If the lord was as young as the young master, even the combined might of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun might not be his match.”

Guo Jia’s words left the assembled generals momentarily stunned, then they all burst into hearty laughter.

Cao Cao was nearly a decade older than Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and perhaps over twenty years senior to Zhao Yun.

If time were reversed by twenty or thirty years, a young Cao Cao in his twenties facing seven or eight-year-old Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and the infant Zhao Yun, would easily defeat all three at once.

Only you, Guo Jia, could think so quickly!

In an instant, he had diffused the awkwardness.

With Guo Jia’s diversion and the generals’ laughter, the awkward moment disappeared.

“Return to camp and celebrate with a victory feast!”

“Today, we shall toast to my son Su Ming’s success,” Cao Cao said excitedly with a wave of his hand.

Though Su Ming hadn’t slain Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, or Zhao Yun, nor captured any major generals, he had fought three alone and emerged victorious.

This boosted the morale of Cao’s army, and after this battle, Yuan’s forces would surely lose heart.

If the soldiers of Yuan dreamt of Su Ming at night, they’d be terrified.

From now on, wherever Su Ming’s battle standard was raised, Yuan’s forces would retreat.

Back at Cao’s camp, in the central command tent, all the generals gathered.

It was a victory banquet, and Cao Cao ordered everyone to drink freely.

Of course, that freedom applied only to the generals off duty; those on watch dared not indulge.

General Cao Ren, along with Li Dian and Yue Jin, were on duty that night.

While others drank, the three could not.

At the banquet, Su Ming was undoubtedly the star.

Everyone knew that Liu Bei’s second brother Guan Yu and third brother Zhang Fei were fierce generals rarely matched.

And his fourth brother Zhao Yun was even stronger than the second and third.

Su Ming had fought three single-handedly—and won.

Who else could claim such a feat?

At the feast, Cao Cao’s fierce generals toasted Su Ming with praise in their words.

But one man looked at Su Ming with ill intent.

Who was this man?

Cao Pi, also known as Cao Zihan.

Since the battle of Wancheng, Cao Cao had lost Cao Ang, Dian Wei, and Cao Anmin due to his own indulgences.

With the eldest brother Cao Ang dead, Cao Pi thought to himself that when his father Cao Cao passed, this vast legacy would be his to inherit.

But Su Ming’s appearance stirred a sense of crisis in Cao Pi.

To him, this inexplicably appearing illegitimate son posed a threat to his position.

Su Ming was far too outstanding, and the pressure weighed heavily on Cao Pi.

There was no trace of brotherly affection in Cao Pi’s gaze toward Su Ming, only suspicion.

Beside Cao Pi sat the strategist Cheng Yu, a sharp mind who immediately saw through Cao Pi’s thoughts.

“You needn’t worry, Second Young Master. He is just an illegitimate son and cannot threaten your position.”

“Besides, he doesn’t even bear the Cao surname. What right does he have to inherit the lord’s legacy?”

“Since ancient times, the eldest son is chosen first, and then the legitimate son. Whether eldest or legitimate, he doesn’t qualify. No matter how talented, he cannot shake your status,” Cheng Yu whispered to reassure Cao Pi.

In ancient times, when nobles selected an heir, the eldest son was prioritized; lacking one, the legitimate sons—those born of the lawful wife—were chosen.

Su Ming was but an illegitimate child, not even counting as a legitimate son, much less the eldest.

Therefore, to Cao Cao’s ministers and generals, Su Ming held no claim to inheritance.

Though Cao Pi felt uneasy seeing Su Ming single-handedly take on three heroes and now receiving praise from all the generals, Cheng Yu’s reassurances greatly eased his mood.

Cao Pi thought, “That’s right! You don’t bear the Cao name and are only an illegitimate son. Even if you have immense talent, you pose no threat to me.”

“No matter how much territory you seize or how many enemy generals you slay, in the end, you only create a bridal gown for me, Cao Pi.”

What Cao Pi did not know was that Su Ming had never considered inheriting Cao Cao’s legacy.

A true man must seize what he desires by his own hand.

Relying on inheritance was nothing worth mentioning.

This was also why Su Ming was so determined to conquer the nine commanderies of Jing and Xiang, and the six commanderies of Jiangdong.

(End of chapter)