Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

"Who are you investigating?" he asked, looking up.

"No names were named," the servant said. "They only mentioned that several accounts with entities outside the state were unusual."

The man didn't reply immediately, his gaze fixed on the window. The night was deep, and the alleys in the east of the city were quieter than usual. A simple audit wouldn't be alarming; but if it involved checking directions—checking "who one associates with"—that was suspicious.

He asked slowly, "How is the Chen family doing?"

"I heard that the account books were delivered in the most complete way."

The man smiled, but without warmth: "Qi, not necessarily clean."

He thought for a moment, then asked, "The Zhao family?"

"Report according to regulations, without missing a single detail."

The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly said softly, "The prefecture isn't investigating who's in Nanyang; it's looking at who's already in power."

The servant asked, puzzled, "Then we—"

"We'll proceed as usual," the man said calmly. "We'll continue selling cloth, but we won't be using the old trade route for now."

"Where's the letter?"

The man glanced at the unsealed bamboo tube on the table and shook his head: "No deliveries for the next few days."

He knew in his heart that rumors were already circulating. Sending a message now would only draw attention to himself.

-

The lights were still burning in the back hall of the prefectural government office.

Xun You spread out the newly copied account books and said softly, "Three salt merchants and two grain shops have close ties with Nanyang; there are also four small merchants whose transaction volume has suddenly increased in the last two months."

Lu Ding stood beside the table, his gaze sweeping over the rows of numbers: "The sudden increase in transaction volume indicates that they took advantage of the uproar over the state assembly."

"Yes," Xun You replied.

Lü Ding nodded: "Write down the dates of our interactions."

"See if it corresponds to the arguments that took place in the hall."

Xun You was taken aback, lowered his head to examine it carefully, and after a moment said, "There are indeed two entries, within three days after the state council document entered the city."

Lu Ding said softly, "Some people think Nanyang is going to win."

Xun You fell silent.

People in the hall are hard to fathom, but accounts are the most honest.

Lu Ding suddenly said, "Tomorrow, we will hold another court session."

"Revisit state affairs?"

No, let's discuss salt.

-

The next day, the county government suddenly announced that after the salt contracts were registered, the salt warehouse inventory would be randomly inspected.

The news caused another uproar in the West Market.

"Randomly inspecting the salt warehouses?"

"Is this a sign of liquidation?"

"It's not a ban, it's a point system," someone whispered.

Taking inventory counts means conducting a physical inventory check. An inventory check can uncover hoarding and smuggling.

In the second branch of the Chen family's residence, Chen Ji's face darkened for the first time after hearing the story: "He's forcing me."

The aide beside him whispered, "If the salt warehouse is indeed inspected and the accounts do not match the actual numbers, then it is a crime."

"The accounts won't be inconsistent," Chen Ji said coldly, "but where did the money go—"

He stopped there.

The flow of funds is the last thing that should be scrutinized in the ledger.

"Have someone keep an eye on the cloth merchants," he suddenly said.

"Why are you staring at him?"

"See if he moves."

-

In the courtyard of the cloth merchant in the east of the city.

The man did not panic when he received the news that the salt warehouse would be inspected.

"The salt warehouse is under the Chen family's name and has nothing to do with us," the servant said.

The man shook his head: "It's related."

"Once the salt warehouse is investigated, the Nanyang line will come to light. If something happens to the Chen family, Nanyang will still be safe."

He slowly got up, walked into the courtyard, and looked up at the sky.

"The prefecture isn't using troops, but it's mobilizing granaries," he said in a low voice. "This is a subtle way of cutting people."

The servant asked somewhat uneasily, "Then what should we do?"

"Do nothing," the man said. "Wait for news from the Chen family."

-

On the day of the inspection, the county government officials and the Fox Camp went together to the salt warehouse in the West Market.

The warehouse was not sealed off; only the contents were inventoried one by one. The second branch of the Chen family sent people to accompany them throughout the process, and they appeared calm.

There were many onlookers, but the discussion was kept very low.

Xun You stood at a distance, watching the constables count the grain, and said softly, "Nothing unusual in the granary."

Lü Ding nodded: "There wouldn't have been anything unusual anyway."

"Then what to check?"

Lu Ding's gaze fell on the accountant sent by the Chen family: "Let's see their reaction."

As expected, during the inspection, the Chen family did not obstruct the process; their account books were complete, and their attitude was respectful. However, the other small business owners looked flustered and kept whispering among themselves.

The manager of one of the grain shops suddenly approached the constable and whispered, "Some of the rice in the granary has been transferred out, but it hasn't been recorded yet—"

The constable looked up: "Where are you being transferred to?"

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment: "Nanyang."

The air around them suddenly tightened.

The constable did not react on the spot, but simply noted down the number and destination, and said calmly, "Make a supplementary record."

The onlookers had heard it clearly, and the news spread rapidly throughout the West Market.

"There really is grain being sent to Nanyang!"

"The prefectural government is not conducting investigations in vain."

Whose house is it?

"I heard it's a few small shops."

Chen Ji stood inside the mansion gate, his knuckles turning white as he listened to the report.

"He's not investigating me," he whispered, "he's beating me up."

The aide frowned: "Cut what?"

"Cut off my momentum."

If the small shop is implicated in its dealings with Nanyang, the people of the city will naturally recall the argument that took place in the hall. The Chen family has been frequently interacting with Nanyang lately; they may not be involved in anything, but they will inevitably be implicated.

-

As night fell, in the back hall of the prefectural government office.

Xun You said, "Today's performance of striking the mountain to scare the tiger was quite brilliant."

Lu Ding nodded: "Previously, there were only words exchanged in the hall, but now that the account books are on the ground, some people will become restless."

"The Chen family will retaliate."

"Let him rebel."

Xun You pondered for a moment and said, "The cloth merchants haven't made a move for two days."

Lu Ding said softly, "He's waiting for the Chen family."

"What are we waiting for the Chen family for?"

"We're waiting to see the Chen family's reaction: will they engage in fierce confrontation, or will they take a step back?"

A breeze blew in through the window cracks, and the lamplight flickered gently.

Lu Ding suddenly said, "Tomorrow, send a message to the Zhao family."

"What did you say?"

"Let the Zhao family make a statement in the market—the random inspection of the salt warehouse is for the benefit of the county and does not involve the dispute with the state."

Xun You's eyes flashed: "Young Master, are you adding fuel to the fire for the Chen family?"

Lü Ding smiled but did not speak.

-

On the afternoon of the third day, Zhao Hong publicly stated in the West Market: "The salt warehouse inspections are solely for the benefit of the county. Who's afraid? Who has a guilty conscience?"

The words were a veiled reference to the Chen family.

The gates of the second branch of the Chen family's residence remained tightly shut, and no one uttered a word.

In the courtyard of the cloth merchant in the east of the city, the man's expression finally changed after hearing this.

"No response from the Chen family?"

"no."

The man slowly sat down, tapping the table with his fingers again, but more rapidly than before.

"He's not reacting because he's afraid," the man said in a low voice. "The prefectural government keeps the accounts, so he can't move around now."

The servant asked, "And what about us?"

The man remained silent for a long time, then suddenly said, "Send a letter."

"Write what?"

The man picked up his pen and slowly wrote:

"The Chen family has been restrained, and the discussions in the city are still chaotic. It is better to proceed slowly than hastily."

The bamboo tube was sealed tightly.

As night deepened, the back door quietly opened, and a horse was led out of the alley. The sound of hooves was kept extremely low, and it quickly disappeared into the darkness of the old trade route.

This time, the Fox Camp sentries did not follow.

-

As night deepened, the firelight flickered on and off beside the boundary marker at the end of the old trade route.

A figure emerged from the shadows, took the bamboo tube, then turned and disappeared into the desolate forest along a side path.

There were already accomplices waiting in the woods, wearing old straw raincoats and carrying longbows. In a flash of firelight, the shadows of the two men briefly overlapped on the tree trunks.