“Intention”: War for the Han Frontier sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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A tall, thin, gruff man in his sixties snorted and asked, “Why...?”
“...Because, Elder Cheng, I am not popular, and with good reason,” Cao Cao
replied wearily. “Even you - on your ‘bad days’, at least - cannot look me in
the eye or confront me confidently, and even now you are uncharacteristically
reserved; I am Xu Shao’s ‘Crafty Villain’ come to pass, a murderer of unborn
sovereigns and future slayer of the dynasty as a whole!”
“We’ve discussed that many times, Excellency,” Cheng Yu retorted, “and
I, for one, am resolved that there was little else that we could do to stop
Dong Cheng from being another Liang Ji. My colleague and friend Jia Xu has also
been very enlightening with regard to Dong Zhuo’s vile circle, and I have no
doubt that we are and always have been right in our actions.”
“Yes,” Cao Cao said as his eyes turned to the unassuming form of the
adviser Jia Xu. “You’ve made quite an impression already, Mister Jia.”
Jia Xu bowed humbly and replied, “I merely play the role that I have
always wanted to play, Excellency, that which fate has cruelly placed out of
reach until now. I now serve in a court dedicated to restoring order as quickly
as possible.”
“Indeed,” Guo Jia chuckled. “The ‘quick’ part is the most important
part. Yuan Shao might be severely weakened, yes, and his options for bringing
his demoralised army across the Yellow River reduced to one ford at Cangting,
but he still has two-hundred-thousand men at his disposal, the resources of
four provinces to draw upon - even though he might not, at the moment, have
anywhere to store those resources on this side of the river - and the support
of the Wuhuan tribes that he has forcibly married his vassals’ daughters into.
We-”
“Is this not the same discussion that we have every time that we meet?”
Cao Cao interrupted. “Are you all so frightened that I am going to suffer from
the same befuddling disease of the mind that’s afflicted Yuan Shao...?
He and I
were once friends, but we shared little more than a love of women and drink. I
assure you, gentlemen, that I am only more determined after having suffered a
forged imperial edict calling for my head and being repeatedly tricked and
betrayed by Liu Bei! My hesitation is
not in mission but method... not in advance but in approach. Do I approach the
court as an aggressor, stamping my authority and confronting my detractors, or
do I assume a more humble stance to placate those - which, of course, currently
include His Majesty - that fear that I have sinister long term intent...?
“I suggest ‘non-aggressive rigidity’,” Jia Xu said. “A lot of the men
that made that long, horrible journey from Chang’an to the ruins of Luoyang are
like prey animals at the moment, ears pricked up and looking for signs of
danger; that’s why Dong Cheng suspected that he had an opening to seize power.
Instead of meeting their expectation that you will adopt a particular stance to
reflect the ‘circumstances’ of recent times, be without a stance and address
the court as a man that is, quite rightly, apologetic about nothing at all.”
“Agreed,” Cheng Yu said at once.
Cao Cao noted the agreeable murmurs that emanated from both sides of his
court and said, “I shall do as you say, Mister Jia. Unless there is... another
opinion...?”