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

Lü Ding had been staying at the county government's villa for ten days.

It was neither short nor short, but it coincided with the first snowfall of the sixth year of the Zhongping era. In 189 AD, with a chaotic array of reign titles, this snowfall in the twelfth lunar month brought a brief silence to the name "Zhongping".

The snow wasn't heavy, but it was very cold.

A thin layer was laid on the tiles and the ground, as if sealing the courtyard with a clean seal.

The county government compound was empty, not because there was no one there, but because everyone was standing far apart.

There were guards on duty under the eaves, but they didn't approach; there were constables patrolling outside the gate, but they never came in. Even the footsteps of those delivering food only stopped outside the courtyard gate, put down the food box, and turned to leave, as if standing there for even a moment longer would cause trouble.

This is not a prison, but it demands even more restraint than a prison.

Lü Ding was placed in a side room in the courtyard. The room was small but clean. There wasn't much charcoal, just enough to keep him warm but not enough to make him feel relaxed. The window paper had been recently replaced, letting in light, but it couldn't keep out the chill.

This was intentional.

I won't let you suffer, but I won't let you be comfortable either.

For ten days, there was no interrogation. No announcements were made. Every day, he got up, ate, and copied the roster as usual. No one urged him or stopped him.

It wasn't until the tenth day, when the sun was setting in the west, that footsteps came from under the eaves.

Not in a hurry, but steady.

The man who entered was a middle-aged clerk, dressed in plain clothes, without a sword, and carrying only a thin scroll in his hand.

He glanced at Lü Ding, but didn't speak immediately. He simply sat down, placed the booklet on the table, and didn't open it.

"Is it cold?" he asked.

Lü Ding shook his head.

"It's colder in the village than here."

The clerk gave a slight smile.

"You're quite honest."

He then opened the booklet.

There was no questioning, nor was there any slamming of the table.

The first sentence, however, seemed to be mentioned casually.

"How many people has Lüjiazhuang taken in recently?"

"Eight hundred and thirty-six people," Lü Ding replied.

"I remember it very clearly."

"The account is in my head."

The clerk nodded and then asked, "How did you get here?"

"Some I remember, some I don't."

"Write down what you remember, and write 'avoid the chaos' for what you don't remember."

"Did you teach this?"

"no."

"Who taught you that?"

"Nobody taught us," Lü Ding said. "There's no need to make it up."

The clerk's hand paused on the booklet for a moment.

"You know, it's much easier to make a perfect circle than not to make one at all."

"I know."

"Then why don't you make it up?"

Lu Ding looked up and glanced at him.

"Because writing is for people to read."

"I don't have to make it up; it's for myself."

The room fell silent for a moment.

The clerk closed the booklet.

"Do you know what people are saying about you right now?"

"Know."

"How do I send it?"

"They say that my recruitment of men, training of night patrols, and establishment of a roster are ways of raising a private army."

Are you scared?

Lü Ding thought for a moment.

"Afraid."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid they'll actually believe it."

The clerk burst out laughing.

This time, it was a genuine laugh.

"You understand things better than I do."

He stood up and took a few steps around the room.

"Then let me rephrase my question."

"If one day someone actually asks you to raise an army, would you do it?"

Lü Ding did not answer immediately.

He looked at the lamp.

The wick is small, but very stable.

"keep."

The clerk stopped in his tracks.

"But not now."

Why?

"Because right now, I can't afford to raise them."

"In chaotic times, people are more important than soldiers."

"Soldiers are for fighting wars."

"Humans are meant to be lived."

The clerk turned around and looked at him.

That one look lingered for a long time.

"You don't act like a landowner."

Lu Ding calmly replied, "I wasn't originally either."

The clerk did not pursue the matter further.

He simply sat down again.

"Do you know why you're still sitting here?"

"Know."

Tell me about it.

"Because I didn't cross the line."

Which line?

"The one with the government offices."

"Anything else?"

Lu Ding paused for a moment.

"Because you're watching too."

The clerk nodded.

"What are you looking at?"

"Let's see if Zhuangzi will panic after I'm taken away."

This time, the clerk did not respond immediately.

He picked up the bowl of water and took a sip.

The water has gone cold.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"It's not chaotic yet," Lü Ding said, "but if it drags on any longer, things might get complicated."

"Are you trying to defend yourself?"

"no."

"Is that speaking on behalf of Zhuangzi?"

"No, not exactly."

Lü Ding looked up.

"I'm telling you—"

"If we keep using this scale, we'll have to change the weights."

The clerk looked at him and suddenly smiled.

Do you know where you are in the most dangerous place right now?

"Know."

"explain."

"I know too much."

Footsteps could be heard outside.

It is very light, yet dense.

The clerk stood up.

That's all for today.

"Go back and rest first."

"Go back where?" Lu Ding asked.

"Return to the village," the clerk replied quickly. "The county has already discussed it."

Lü Ding looked up.

The clerk paused, as if considering his words, or perhaps not intending to explain further at all.

"In these chaotic times, if something were to happen to someone like you along the way, it would only make us look like we haven't done a good job."

He tucked the scroll into his sleeve.

"So, I'll send someone to accompany you."

"Nominally, it's an escort mission."

"There's snow, theft, and other troubles on the road."

He looked at Lü Ding, his tone flat but brooking no misunderstanding.

"With someone here, the county can rest assured that you'll return to the village alive."

Lü Ding did not respond immediately.

"Don't worry," the clerk added, "we're not here to take yours."

"At least not now."

Lü Ding nodded.

"I see."

The clerk then turned around, walked to the door, but paused for a moment.

"There's one more thing."

"The person is from the county."

How you use it is up to you.

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.

The door closed behind him.

It was already dark in the courtyard.

Outside the courtyard gate, a black-armored warrior stood in the snow.

The official road was quiet after the snow.

The sound of horses' hooves pounding on the thin snow was half-dimmed, leaving only a muffled echo. The officials walked ahead, quickly distancing themselves from the others, as if deliberately ignoring them.

Only Lü Ding and the accompanying military officer remained.

Clad in black armor, with a gun never leaving his hand, he walked with remarkably steady steps. It wasn't the flamboyant stride of a fierce general in the army, but rather the instinctive gait of someone who had long stood on the fringes, leaving himself room to maneuver when he walked.

Speechless all the way.

As they stepped out of the county government compound, Lü Ding suddenly spoke.

"You're not from the county."

The military officer didn't move his gaze, but simply responded with a "Hmm."

"The prefectural governor's office?"

"no."

"County soldiers?"

"Not really."

This time, the military officer finally glanced at him sideways, as if weighing whether he should continue the conversation.

"I was originally in Hedong," he said. "But then things got chaotic, and I was reassigned to a local post."

"I will follow your instructions," Lü Ding repeated, his tone flat.

He knew very well what those two words meant.

He wasn't a formally employed staff member, nor was he a trusted confidant.

They can step in when needed, but can also deflect blame when things go wrong.

"So what is your current identity?" Lu Ding asked.

The military officer remained silent for a moment before answering, "I will go with you."

"What about responsibilities?"

"I'll protect you and take you back to the village."

He spoke very frankly.

He added, "If there is any unusual activity, execute first and report later."

The wind blew across the official road, swirling up the snowflakes before they quickly fell back down.

Lu Ding nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

After walking about a mile, he seemed to suddenly remember something and casually said, "I haven't yet asked for your honorific title."

The military commander paused for an even longer time this time.

Lu Ding thought for a long time that he would not answer.

"Xu Huang".