vstars Chapter 1114 Cao Ang's Ambitions and His Chance Encounter with Zhang Ji
Chapter 1114 Cao Ang's Ambitions and His Chance Encounter with Zhang Ji
After everyone had left the banquet, Cao Ang called out to Ma Chao: "King of Liang, I have long admired Your Majesty. Today I finally get to see Your Majesty and wish to have a private conversation with you. Would Your Majesty do me the honor?" Ma Chao smiled and said: "Since you are so eager to talk, and I have nothing else to do, then please lead the way."
The secret chamber was lit only by an oil lamp, its dim light casting the shadows of the two men on the wall, creating a more tranquil atmosphere than at a banquet. Cao Ang first bowed deeply to Ma Chao, his tone filled with the unique sincerity of a young man: "Your Majesty, over the years you have protected the people of Xiliang and led your iron cavalry to a great victory over the Xianbei, killing hundreds of thousands of generals, allowing the people of the northern frontier to sleep peacefully. This achievement is enough to shine in history. Every time I hear battle reports from Xiliang, I wish I could immediately join Your Majesty's ranks, even if it's just to lead a horse and hold the stirrups, to be able to conquer the grasslands with you, it would be the greatest fortune of my life."
Ma Chao looked at the light shining in his eyes, a pure reverence untouched by the world, as pure as the snow of Xiliang. He waved his hand, a smile playing on his lips: "Zixiu, there's no need for that. You will marry Yunlu in the future, and from then on you will be family. Just call me brother. As for protecting the borders and ensuring the safety of the people, that's just a small duty I can do for the people in these chaotic times."
“Brother, you are mistaken.” Cao Ang shook his head, his tone suddenly becoming serious. “In this world, warlords are rising up everywhere, and who isn’t busy expanding their territory, vying for supremacy, and attacking each other? Yuan Shao, occupying Hebei, is only concerned with stockpiling grain and raising troops; Liu Biao, guarding Jingzhou, spends his days feasting and engaging in empty talk; even my father sometimes has to contend with the warlords for territory. But you are different, brother—you have been building water conservancy projects in Xiliang, promoting agriculture and sericulture, ensuring that the people in the border regions have food to eat and clothes to wear; your northward campaign against the Xianbei was not to seize land, but to protect the homes of countless families behind you. How many warlords in the world have such a mindset?”
He took a half step forward, the light of the oil lamp reflecting on his face, revealing a hint of stubbornness: "I admire not only your bravery, brother, but also your spirit of 'defense.' In this chaotic world, there are many who can attack, but very few who are willing to defend."
Ma Chao picked up the iced tea on the table and took a sip. The tea helped him suppress the effects of the alcohol. Looking at Cao Ang's young but earnest face, he suddenly thought of himself when he was young. Back then, he always thought that everything in the world was black and white, and he always dreamed of creating a peaceful world with his passion.
“If you can understand these things, then Yunlu’s feelings for you will not have been in vain.” Ma Chao put down his teacup and looked at the flickering lamp flame. “Defense is indeed more difficult than offense. Offense is about breaking through, and one strike can reveal the outcome; defense is about establishing, and it requires building up the foundation inch by inch and enduring the hardship step by step. But in the end, this world can only be established by ‘defense’.”
Cao Ang was deeply moved and stood up abruptly: "I will remember your words, brother! If I can follow you to 'protect' this world in the future, I will be willing to die for it!"
The oil lamp in the secret room flickered, illuminating Ma Chao's calm face. He looked at the confusion in Cao Ang's eyes and slowly said, "Today at the city gate, your father came to greet you personally, but I deliberately neglected him."
Cao Ang frowned slightly, his lips moved, but he held back and waited for what was to come.
Ma Chao tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his voice tinged with a deep melancholy: "What kind of person is your father? A powerful and ruthless figure, with a heart as firm as iron. Faced with such mistreatment, he remained unmoved, showing not the slightest displeasure. Such forbearance and composure are beyond the reach of ordinary people. So why should I do the same?"
He looked up at Cao Ang, his gaze sharp as a blade: "Those who defend the land should prioritize the well-being of the people. But your father... in all these years of fighting in the south and north, while he has certainly achieved the feat of pacifying separatist regimes, how many people have been displaced and whose bones have been left exposed in the wilderness? For the sake of power over the world, he has needlessly waged war, causing rivers of blood to flow. Behind the word 'hero,' how much suffering of the common people is hidden?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Ang's face flushed instantly, then slowly lost its color, revealing a hint of shame. He lowered his eyes, his voice low and hoarse: "Brother's words are true. In the past, Father did indeed aspire to sweep away the world and restore the Han Dynasty. He said that if he could achieve his wish, he only wished for 'Tomb of Cao Hou, General Who Conquers the West of the Han Dynasty' to be inscribed on his tombstone. However... in recent years, with the collapse of the court and the struggle for power among warlords, perhaps his heart has gradually changed."
“Yes, times can change people’s hearts.” Ma Chao sighed, his tone softening. “That’s why I said that although you are the eldest son of the Cao family, you may not be able to control the direction of the Cao family. Perhaps it’s too early to say these things today.”
He leaned forward, his gaze falling on Cao Ang's face with an elder brother's earnestness: "But I have only one wish—no matter if we are to fight each other in the future or live in peace, no matter where your Cao family goes or how much power you wield, you must remember to leave a place for the people in your heart. In chaotic times, power is a knife; it can be used to cut through the chaos, and it should be used even more to fight for the people's survival."
Cao Ang looked up abruptly, meeting Ma Chao's open and honest gaze. There was no mockery, no scheming in that gaze, only a heavy expectation. He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white, his Adam's apple bobbing for a long while before he said, word by word, "Brother's words, I will remember them. In this life, I will certainly not fail you."
The oil lamp crackled and popped, casting long shadows of the two men on the wall. Looking at the young figure before him, Ma Chao recalled his youthful vow to ride across Xiliang, his heart filled with mixed emotions. This chaotic world was like a quagmire; who could remain unscathed? He could only hope that this young man could retain the pure heart he held onto today.
He picked up his glass of iced tea and raised it to Cao Ang: "Tonight we've said too many heavy things. Come, let's drink tea instead of wine, and hope that neither of us will forget what we said at this moment."
Cao Ang quickly picked up his teacup and gently clinked it against his. The tea went down his throat, its bitterness carrying a hint of sweetness, as if reminding him that no matter how difficult this chaotic world was, there were still things worth holding onto.
The oil lamp in the secret room burned quietly, casting Cao Ang's shadow on the wall, carrying a hint of youthful stubbornness and sincerity. He remained silent for a long time before speaking with difficulty, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Brother, no matter what the future holds, I always want to find the root of this chaotic world and make some real changes. Just like in Xuzhou today, those aristocratic families possess thousands of books, yet they refuse to let poor scholars touch even a drop of ink. When we conquered Xuzhou, I forced them to open their libraries, allowing scholars from all over the world to touch the books—even if the road ahead is fraught with difficulties, moving slowly is better than standing still and watching this world decay."
Upon hearing this, Ma Chao raised his hand and patted his shoulder heavily, the force of his palm carrying genuine approval: "To think of these things, you are far superior to all the other warlords in the land. To be honest, I also did something similar in Chang'an, making the classics of aristocratic families available to children from poor families." He gazed at the flickering lamplight, his tone becoming serious, "This world is very chaotic, and we have to grope our way forward step by step. As you said, if we take it slow, we can eventually find a way to survive for the people."
Having gained Ma Chao's approval, Cao Ang's face flushed with pride. He took a half-step forward, his eyes shining brightly: "Brother, I dare not boast now. But when I take charge of the Cao family in the future, even before your army arrives, I will be willing to serve you!" He paused, lowering his voice further, with a hint of earnestness in his confession, "I have never had any thoughts of becoming king or hegemon. I only hope to end this chaotic world as soon as possible, so that the people can cultivate their fields in peace, and the children can learn to read in peace."
Having said that, a hint of shame flashed across his face, and he lowered his eyes, saying, "To be honest, my father has the bearing of a hero, and he holds the power of the world in his heart, but he may not necessarily care about the people of the world. My ideals and his have long since diverged. Over the years, I have seen all the lords of the world, and only you, my elder brother, have truly put your efforts into action, fighting against the Xianbei in the north to protect the border people, promoting agriculture and sericulture, and opening schools. Since I was a young man, I have always regarded you as my role model, thinking that one day I could be like you and do something that truly benefits the country and the people."
Hearing these words, Ma Chao's heart stirred slightly. Looking at the young figure before him, he recalled the vow he had made in his youth, riding across Xiliang and gazing upon the refugees displaced in the Gobi Desert. There was a striking resemblance between this vow and Cao Ang's present state. In chaotic times, to retain such a pure heart was already rare; even rarer was the courage to break through the impasse.
He picked up the cool tea on the table and clinked glasses with Cao Ang again: "Okay, I believe you." The three words were simple, but they carried an undeniable weight. "The road ahead is long, let's see how it goes. If that day ever comes, I'll be waiting for your news."
Cao Ang looked up abruptly, tears welling in his eyes, and nodded vigorously: "Brother, rest assured, Zixiu will never break his promise today!"
The next morning, the backyard of Cao Cao's residence was quiet, with only the scent of medicine lingering in the corridors. Ma Chao, led by his attendants, went to Cao Cao's bedroom, where he heard that Cao Cao's headaches had worsened and he had barely slept all night.
The bedroom was dimly lit. Cao Cao leaned against the couch, his face even paler than yesterday. His forehead was damp with cold sweat. When he saw Ma Chao enter, he forced a smile and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, King of Liang. As people get older, their bodies become weak. Ever since Miao Cai left, I've had this headache that won't go away. It keeps coming back and disturbing my peace."
Ma Chao approached the bedside: "Lord Mengde, please take care of your health. Don't worry about such mundane matters." He glanced at the physician standing beside him and saw that the man was dressed in a plain long robe, with a thin face and a familiar look between his brows. He couldn't help but ask, "This gentleman looks quite familiar. May I ask your name?"
The physician quickly bowed and said in a gentle voice, "My name is Zhang Ji, courtesy name Zhongjing. I practiced medicine in Luoyang in my early years, and perhaps I had a chance to meet Your Majesty once."
"Zhang Ji? Zhang Zhongjing?" Ma Chao's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward. "Could he be the medical master who abandoned his official post to practice medicine back then?"
Zhang Zhongjing bowed and said, "Your Majesty has actually heard of my humble name."
"With you here, Master Mengde, there is hope for your recovery." Ma Chao breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Cao Cao with a smile. "Master Zhongjing's medical skills are renowned throughout the world. He will surely be able to alleviate your pain."
Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhongjing shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "To be honest, Cao Cao's headache is a chronic condition, related to emotional distress and excessive worry. It cannot be cured by medicine. I have tried many prescriptions, but they can only temporarily slow down the progression. In the end, I am helpless."
Cao Cao smiled wryly, "Sir, there's no need to blame yourself. This illness has been with me for many years, and I'm used to it." He looked at Ma Chao and softened his tone, "I must thank the King of Liang for granting Ang'er and Yunlu their wish at yesterday's banquet."
Ma Chao said, "Yunlu and Zixiu are of one mind, which is a good thing. Mengde, please focus on your health and put other matters aside for now."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Ma Chao, seeing that Cao Cao looked unwell, rose to take his leave. As he left the bedroom, the morning light shone through the window onto the medicine stove, the broth bubbling gently. Ma Chao watched the rising steam and sighed inwardly—in this chaotic world, even a hero like Cao Cao could not escape illness. Zhang Zhongjing's life-saving hands were all the more precious amidst the turmoil of war.