Chapter 13 - Boss Cao’s Scheme

Original by Bro Got a Gun, Translated by James

“Liu Mang?!” In Xiapi’s Province Governor's Mansion, Cao Cao was muttering a name. From Lu Bu’s escape to Xiahou De’s banner and finally the stratagem of sowing dissension, it appear that this man’s shadow was everywhere!

“Han imperial clansman?!” Cao Cao was dumbfounded, another Han imperial clansman?!

[TL: direct translation, relative to the Han Dynasty’s clan. Using imperial clansman as opposed to royal clansman because china is an empire during this period, not king or queens.]

This man really got old Cao good! Cao Cao almost even lost his life! He only knew of such a person from the mouth of captured Lu Bu soldiers.

“A capable individual! A great talent!” Cao Cao sighed deeply. “Alas, this talent does not work for me! Fengxiao, say, do you think that I could recruit this Liu Mang?!” Cao Cao’s success wasn’t accidental, it was significantly because of his approach toward people of great talent!

[TL: Fengxiao is Guo Jia’s courtesy name. Guo Jia is one of Cao Cao’s main advisors, he’s the dude who told him to flood Xiapi.]

“My lord, you’re overthinking!” Seated below Cao Cao was a prodigal looking scholar. This man had not once stopped when he started drinking. Even when Cao Cao inquires him about things, he did not stand up. Yes, this man have a haughty attitude, but it was precisely because of this haughty attitude that that gave birth to the reputation of this sly genius, Guo Jia, Guo Fengxiao.

“Not mentioning that this man’s scheme almost cost you your life, let’s just think about general Xiahou Yuan who was heavily injured by Lu Bu, do you think general Xiahou Dun would allow such a man to join us?!” Xiahou Yuan almost died in the hands of Lu Bu. Even though he survived, his injuries requires at least half a year to heal! The animosity was certainly going to be there!

“Regarding Yuanran and Miaocai, I could get things flowing!” Cao Cao still did not give up. For his talented individuals, for his great ambitions, what harm is there for him to lower himself?!

“Hehe, my lord oh lord, I know of your talent loving heart but you still need to consider who the talent is!” Guo Jia smiled wryly at his lord and shook his head. “It was reported that this man is called Liu Mang and is a Han imperial clansman. Say, do you think that those Han imperial clansmen would be interested in Prime Minister Cao? Would they really be willing to work for you?!”

“That’s impossible! Isn’t Liu Bei also a Han imperial clansman?! He’s even the emperor’s imperial uncle! There’s also Liu Ye, Liu Ziyang! Are they not subordinates of I, Cao Cao?!” said Cao Cao, fully pleased with his accomplishments.

[TL: Ziyang is Liu Ye’s courtesy name. He’s an advisor to Cao Cao.]

“Liu Bei?!” Guo Jia sneered. “He is not a man who is contented with his roots. Lord, it is better to remove this man as soon as possible!” Guo Jia, Xun Yu and the other advisors regarded Liu Bei as the biggest thorn in the current Cao army!

Guo Jia understand that Liu Bei grew up in a poor family, having lost his father when he was still a child. To support themselves, Liu Bei and his mother sold shoes and straw-woven mats - a very difficult livelihood. On the southeast corner of Liu Bei’s house, there was a mulberry tree of fifty foot tall. From afar, the tree looked like a canopy of a chariot. All the passersby felt that this tree was not something from the earthly world and believed that there will certainly be a nobleman originating from this house. In his childhood, Liu Bei played underneath the tree with other kids and pointed at the mulberry tree and said “In the future, I will certainly ride a feathered canopy chariot like this one!”

Imperial canopy! This was something only the emperor was qualified to sit underneath. But, a straw mat weaver dared to speak of his wishes to sit underneath such a canopy - one could tell that this person’s ambition was certainly not small!

Sure enough, although this big eared Liu did not show any ambitions from the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he have been constantly calling himself a Han royal clansman and was even finally recognized as one by Emperor Xian of Han!

This caused Guo Jia to be on extra alert against Liu Bei! Having ambitions was not scary, what’s scary was having great ambitions! Had Liu Bei been alone, Guo Jia would still not be so alert, but that was not the case. The big eared Liu had three brothers! Neither Guan Yu nor Zhang Fei are regular men. Instead, they exuded the qualities of great generals!

Guo Jia have always told Cao Cao to separate the three brothers, to divide and conquer