Chapter 024: Seizing the Opportunity to Send a Message

At the residence of Cao Zhi, the banquet was lively and bustling. Cao Zhi, ever fond of literature and poetry, had gathered a host of scholars and poets around him. Day after day, they drank and composed poems, indulging in idle talk—what pleasure there was in such pursuits.

Recently, Cao Zhi had obtained an extraordinary wine from Cao Peng, and was so astonished by its quality that he called it a celestial vintage, something mortals could seldom taste. He never imagined such wine existed.

Being a lover of excitement, Cao Zhi could hardly resist hosting a grand feast. Since it was to be a lively affair, he invited everyone he could—his usual companions, as well as kinsmen like Cao Ang, Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Peng.

Cao Peng sat among them, listening to their poetic recitations over wine, watching beautiful maids dance and sing, finding his own enjoyment in the spectacle. Truly, Cao Zhi knew how to savor life; even the arrangement of the artificial hills in his courtyard was done with exquisite taste.

While merriment filled the courtyard, the main gate of Cao Zhi’s residence was suddenly battered by a harsh knock.

“Who could it be at this late hour?” the gatekeeper muttered, annoyed as he went to open the door. To him, such rude knocking was unbecoming—this was the residence of the young master, after all.

The door had barely opened when a fist, as large as a sandbag, sent the servant sprawling to the ground.

“How dare you! Who are you? Do you know whose residence this is?”

“Captain Xu Chu!” came the reply.

Xu Chu, who always cleared the way for Cao Cao, cared little for conventions. Brash and boorish, that was his way.

“General Xu…”

“Lord Cao…”

The gatekeeper, now terrified, cowered in the corner by the entrance.

Cao Cao entered, accompanied by dozens of armored guards, a show of force that quickly drew the attention of those inside.

In truth, Cao Cao had not intended to make such a scene to apprehend anyone; he had hoped to spare Cao Peng some embarrassment.

But the matter of Cao Peng brewing wine with military provisions had become grave. Upon reviewing the accounts, even Cao Cao was startled by the amount of grain consumed.

Prior to coming here, Dian Wei had already been arrested. That fellow had neglected his duties at camp, instead drinking himself into a stupor at home.

“What’s going on?”

“No idea. The Lord himself has come with soldiers—could it be that Young Master Cao Zhi has committed some offense?”

The guests whispered among themselves, and even Cao Zhi was half sobered by fear, carefully retracing his actions in recent days, wondering if he had done anything to warrant his father’s wrath.

Only one person understood perfectly, a subtle smile flickering at the corner of his lips.

Cao Pi sat quietly at the table, appearing as harmless as ever.

It was he who had spread word far and wide about Cao Peng’s use of army provisions for brewing wine, at the instigation of Cao Ang.

His best hope had been to stab Cao Ang in the back, but he had not expected Cao Cao to act that very night, and with so many present, the affair would surely disgrace Cao Ang.

As for Cao Peng, he had never been part of Cao Pi’s calculations.

“Lord Cao!”

“Father!”

Seeing Cao Cao himself arrive, everyone quickly rose to pay their respects.

“Father, what brings you here at this late hour?” Cao Zhi braced himself and stepped forward to ask.

“This has nothing to do with you. Stand aside!” Cao Cao replied, impatiently.

He knew well enough what sort of person Cao Zhi was; on any other day there would be no shortage of rebuke, but today, Cao Cao was after someone else.

“Uncle, you have come for me, haven’t you?” Cao Peng stood up unflinchingly from his seat, shaking off Cao Ang’s hand on his sleeve, quietly assuring him he knew what he was doing.

“Oh, so you’re bold enough to own up to it. Since you know I’m here for you, what have you to say for yourself?”

Cao Peng’s forthrightness drew a hint of appreciation from Cao Cao.

The events at Wan City had already made Cao Cao see him in a new light, and he had intended to nurture him. Yet he had not expected the young man to commit such a foolish act.

In the end, it was because he had indulged these sons of the Cao family, letting them idle about like Cao Zhi, living off the family stipend, neglecting proper duties.

Of course, brewing wine with military provisions was not an unforgivable crime. Cao Cao did not intend to kill Cao Peng, but rather to exile him to the frontier.

As the saying goes, jade must be carved to be made useful; sending the boy to a borderland for tempering would do him good.

Moreover, Cao Cao had another intention—to make an example of this incident, to shake and warn his sons, the whole clan, and all the civil and military officials.