Three Kingdoms: Fusion of Entries, Change of Destiny

Chapter 186: Please have the General compose a poem to boost the army's morale.
In the second year of Jian'an, in May.

Liu Bei, the former governor of Xuzhou, was ordered by the emperor to personally lead an army of 20,000 to the south to attack Yuan Shu, the self-proclaimed emperor who had declared himself emperor in Huainan!
Meanwhile, in Xuchang city.

The emperor issued another edict, ordering Grand Commandant Cao Cao to personally lead an army of 30,000 to the west to attack Zhang Xiu, a rebel from Xiliang who was entrenched in Wancheng.

On the day of their departure, tens of thousands of people in Xuchang came to see them off.

Kong Rong, a renowned scholar known for his literary talent, even composed a poem for Cao Cao in public:
From Luoyang to Xu Weiwei. Cao Cao was selfless and devoted to his country.

[The rich and fatty foods in the kitchen were reduced. The officials all followed suit with great reverence.]

Though I receive a salary, I am often hungry. Thinking of my suffering in the cold, my heart is filled with sorrow.

Kong Rong's six-character poem praises Cao Cao's admirable virtues: his concern for the world, his worries about the people, his diligence and frugality in managing his household, and his exemplary conduct as a model for all officials.

The poem also laments that with years of war, officials, though paid, still struggle to survive from hunger and cold, a thought that fills the heart with sorrow.

Kong Rong was the 20th generation descendant of Confucius, and was renowned for his talent.

That is, at the end of last year,
After Yuan Tan defeated Tian Kai, the governor of Qingzhou, he fought fiercely with Kong Rong in Beihai for several months.

Kong Rong, the Chancellor of Beihai, was ultimately defeated and fled to Yanzhou.

Just then, Cao Cao welcomed the emperor and moved the capital to Xuchang.

Kong Rong, who was originally disappointed, saw the prosperity under Cao Cao's rule in Yanzhou, where the people lived in peace and contentment.

I also heard that Cao Cao defeated the rebel army and the Xiliang army, and successfully rescued the emperor and brought him back to Guandong.

He concluded that only Cao Cao could restore the Han Dynasty and save the people from suffering.

Therefore, Kong Rong came to Xu County to pay his respects to Cao Cao and expressed his desire to continue serving the Han court.

Cao Cao would naturally not refuse such a renowned Confucian scholar as Kong Rong, so he immediately submitted a memorial to the emperor, appointing Kong Rong as the Grand Master of Works.

Kong Rong enjoyed extremely high prestige among scholars and intellectuals.
His poem,

This undoubtedly greatly enhanced Cao Cao's image in the minds of scholars.

When Kong Rong had just returned to the imperial court, he also wrote a poem.

The dispute between Guo and Li was unjust. The capital was moved to Chang'an, but the people longed to return home.

Looking towards the Guandong region, one feels sorrow. One dreams of Cao Cao's return.

It describes how the emperor was trapped in the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si in Chang'an, and how he dreamed of Cao Cao coming to his rescue.

It has to be said that these writers, whether praising or criticizing, are rather shameless...

However, what neither Cao Cao nor Kong Rong probably expected was that...
Historically, as the political situation gradually stabilized and the north became more unified, the relationship between Kong Rong and Cao Cao gradually drifted apart.

In Kong Rong's eyes at that time, Cao Cao was gradually revealing his treacherous and cunning nature.

Not only did he become increasingly cunning, but he also seemed to harbor rebellious intentions, which greatly angered Kong Rong.

As a result, Kong Rong's words became increasingly harsh, and he often pointed at Cao Cao's nose and cursed him in the imperial court.

His evaluation of Cao Cao also changed from initial praise to denigration.

Although Cao Cao cherished talent and respected scholars, he always believed in Legalist thought.

He has always been extremely disgusted by those who are frivolous, unrestrained, and prone to making irresponsible remarks about politics.

Before him were Bian Rang and Mi Heng, and later were Xu You, Cui Yan, Yang Xiu, and others, all of whom were punished for carelessly speaking and crossing Cao Cao's bottom line.

Kong Rong, relying on his talent and reputation, repeatedly challenged Cao Cao's limits of patience, ultimately bringing about his own demise.

Standing behind Cao Cao, Cao Yan stared at Kong Rong, sizing him up, thinking to himself, "This old fellow is one of the famous people who were mistakenly killed by Cao Cao, right? But that was more than ten years later..."

Just then, Kong Rong also noticed Cao Yan, who was sizing him up.

As long as he was in Yanzhou, he could hear the people praising Cao Yan almost every day, which made Kong Rong extremely curious about Cao Yan's talent and learning.

Judging from the various policies and systems he implemented in Yanzhou, as well as his achievements in military affairs, infrastructure, commerce, and inventions, he was almost a polymath.

Since he is a polymath, how could he not know how to compose poems and essays?

Kong Rong now truly adores Cao Cao. He knows that Cao Cao is also skilled at composing poems, but he can't very well have the commander-in-chief compose poems himself, can he?
Kong Rong's eyes darted around, and he turned his gaze to Cao Yan: "I've heard that Cao Mengde dotes on his sixth brother, taking him under his wing since childhood and teaching him by example, which is how he became such a talented man, skilled in both literature and martial arts. If we can make him shine in front of others, it will surely please Cao Mengde!"

Thinking of this, Kong Rong raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and then said loudly, "I have a suggestion!"

Everyone looked at Kong Rong curiously, wanting to hear what kind of tricks he had up his sleeve.

Cao Yan felt a little uneasy when he saw Kong Rong staring at him.

Upon hearing Kong Rong's suggestion, a sense of foreboding immediately arose in his heart.

As expected, Kong Rong stroked his beard and laughed, "I have long heard that General Cao Zi'an is unparalleled in both literary and military prowess among his peers and can be called a hero of our time! Today, as the royal army sets out for war, why not ask the General to compose a poem to boost the morale of the army?" Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's smile froze slightly.

Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Hong, Cao Ren, Cao Chun, and others were all worried for Cao Yan.

The image of Cao Yan falling asleep the moment he put down a book was still deeply etched in their minds, so they asked him to compose a poem...

Cao Yan cursed inwardly, "Damn you, you old bastard! What kind of nonsense advice are you giving me!"

Dian Wei was unfamiliar with poetry, and he also didn't know whether Cao Yan could compose poetry.

He just found it somewhat amusing that Cao Yan was carrying a long spear, wearing armor, and reciting a fine poem.

So he grinned.

Zhao Yun also smiled slightly, staring at Cao Yan with curiosity, wanting to see how he would resolve this calamity.

"Ha! Master Kong's suggestion is excellent. Please, General Hou, compose a poem!"

"General Hou, recite a poem to boost the morale of the army!"

"One song, one song!!"

"..."

Whatever their motives, this group of people were just making a fuss.

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, Cao Yan could only search his mind for suitable poems.

Seeing him deep in thought, everyone quieted down.

A moment later, Cao Yan stood tall and proud, and said in a loud voice,

[My hair stands on end in anger, I lean against the railing as the rain subsides.]

I raise my eyes, look up to the sky, and let out a long, passionate roar.

Thirty years of fame and glory are but dust and dirt; eight thousand miles of road are but clouds and moon. Do not idly let your youthful head turn white, only to be filled with empty sorrow!

[The traitor Dong Zhuo has plunged Chang'an into chaos. The hatred of his subjects will never end!]

[Driving a long chariot, we'll crush the enemy's fortifications in Wancheng. With lofty ambitions, we'll feast on the flesh of traitors when hungry, and laughingly drink the blood of rebels when thirsty. We'll wait to reclaim our lost lands and return to the imperial palace.]

The bold and stirring words echoed at the city gate.

The crowd was taken aback at first, then erupted in thunderous cheers.

Cao Cao's eyes lit up with surprise.

He reached out and grabbed Cao Yan's arm, so excited he was almost incoherent, "Sixth Brother! You really kept it a secret!"

Everyone praised it.

"A man of both literary and military talent! General Hou is truly a man of both literary and military talent!!!"

"Such magnificent words truly possess a spirit that can swallow mountains and rivers; General Hou's profound wisdom and vision are truly admirable!"

"I had only heard of Cao Zian's exceptional martial prowess before, but today I learned that his literary talent is even more astonishing. He is truly a blessing to our great Han Dynasty!"

"The lofty aspirations expressed in these words are truly inspiring! With such figures in our great Han Dynasty, how can we worry about the decline of the Han Dynasty?"

"Every word is powerful and resonant, every sentence is forceful!"

"General Cao's poem is so beautiful that it would make all the scholars in the world pale in comparison!"

"..."

Cao Yan's face remained largely expressionless, but he thought to himself, "I got Man Jiang Hong for free... I really feel bad for Yue Fei..."

At this moment, everyone saw that Cao Yan's expression was normal, without any arrogance or smugness, which further convinced them that he was virtuous and talented.

Then the discussion started again.

"To be humble after completing a poem, to be modest despite great talent—this is the demeanor of a great general!"

"He possesses extraordinary talent yet remains unassuming; General Hou not only has lofty abilities but also the demeanor of a humble gentleman!"

"It is rare to be both a scholar and a warrior, and it is even more commendable to not take credit for one's achievements. General Hou should be a role model for us all!"

Cao Yan sighed inwardly:

"If I ever create a praise group in the future, I'll definitely make you guys the administrators... That's so sweet, say a few more words, I love hearing that..."

(End of this chapter)