Three Kingdoms: Prince of the Great Wei, Prime Minister Cao

“Cao Ju and all those present can inherit Cao Cao’s preferences!”

“Though Wei Wu has passed, the traitor Cao shall endure!”

“Rekindling the heroic spirit of Wei Wu, promoting the noble ideals of the Jian’an era, it is our unshirkable duty!”

“In times of change, courage is required. In adversity, one must stand strong. Only then can one be considered a true man!”

Unfortunately, he remained oblivious. Only one sentence reached Cao Ju’s ears.

“Yu, see off Young Master!”

Inside the room, Xun Yu stood up and bowed to Cao Ju. At Xun Yu’s feet lay the food box that Cao Ju had brought.

If, before this, Xun Yu had already started contemplating resigning himself to death, now he wanted to see.

What kind of wind would stir up this eighth son of the Cao family, who had just revealed his potential? He wanted to witness whether this son, who spoke of “worrying about the world’s troubles before enjoying its pleasures,” Cao Ju, could successfully vie for the throne, end the present era of chaos, and establish a realm for the Han ethnicity that would prioritize the common people.

Almost as if sensing Xun Yu’s thoughts, Cao Ju, who had already abandoned thoughts of death, spoke slowly, “Master Xun, I won’t let you down.”

With that, Cao Ju closed the door, his face now displaying a sense of relief.

With a pleasant mood, the chilling wind and rain that had struck Cao Ju’s face turned into a refreshing coolness that penetrated his senses. If Xun Yu had survived, then wasn’t it a sign that the Xun clan of Yingchuan wasn’t too far from being drawn into their camp?

Cao Ju couldn’t forget.

Apart from Xun Yu, the Xun family also boasted another remarkable figure, peerless in the current world, adept in devising strategies and schemes—Xun You, Lord Xun.

By the way, during this campaign in which Cao Cao marched south against Sun Quan, Xun You had also accompanied the army, holding the prestigious position of Cao Cao’s Chief Strategist.

However, an untimely voice coldly interrupted Cao Ju’s thoughts.

“Eighth, Young Master, your actions might not be appropriate, I’m afraid.”

“Does our lord know about today’s matter?”

Not only was the voice cold, but it was also ominously sharp, resembling a jackal lurking in the darkness, ready to strike.

Hearing this, Cao Ju followed the source of the voice. Not far from him, a shadowy warrior, his hand resting on the hilt of his longsword, was staring directly at him.

As Cao Ju’s gaze met the warrior’s, instead of any hint of avoidance, a faint trace of disdain and contempt flickered deep within his eyes.

“Zhao Da, you dare!”

Before Cao Ju could speak, Dian Man, who was not only Cao Ju’s confidant but also responsible for his safety, had already reprimanded sharply. Simultaneously, he unsheathed a short spear from his waist and angrily pointed it at the shadowy warrior.

Insult the master, and the servant shall die. Dian Man seemed poised to strike down the warrior Zhao Da on the spot, awaiting only Cao Ju’s command.

However, who could have anticipated…

Facing Dian Man’s reprimand, the shadowy warrior Zhao Da showed no hint of fear. Instead, his gaze shifted askew, and a trace of mockery appeared at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Cao Ju.

“What does the Eighth Young Master think?” Zhao Da spoke, his tone profoundly disrespectful. He heavily emphasized the character “eighth” when addressing Cao Ju, accentuating his disdain. His lack of respect for Cao Ju was straightforward because his status was unique.

He didn’t believe that Dian Man, serving under Cao Ju and the Cao Ju he served, would dare to lay hands on him. Even if it were Dian Man’s father, the respected general Dian Wei, who died at Wancheng, or Cao Ju’s brothers, Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Zhi, they might be more plausible contenders.

But as for Cao Ju and Dian Man? Cao Ju, an insignificant son of the Cao family, who their lord had highly regarded, and Dian Man, a son of a fallen general, were not nearly enough to invoke fear in Zhao Da. Moreover, Zhao Da’s actions today were carried out under the orders of their lord, Cao Cao, to deliver an empty food box to Xun Yu as he embarked on his journey. Such a significant task, if it were to fail… Considering their lord’s temperament, Zhao Da knew he would face severe consequences.

Given the choice between safeguarding himself and offending someone like Cao Ju, who was of little importance to their lord and posed no challenge to the supremacy of Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, and Cao Zhi, Zhao Da naturally leaned towards the former.

Observing the shadowy warrior Zhao Da, who didn’t regard him highly, Cao Ju recognized his identity.

One of the commanders responsible for overseeing matters, Zhao Da.

In “Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Wei: Biography of Gao Rou,” it is recorded: “At the beginning of the Wei Kingdom, he served as a Gentleman of the Imperial Library, and was later appointed as an assistant to the Prime Minister in the Cao family… He was then promoted to Administrator of Yingchuan and again appointed as an assistant in the Ministry of Justice.

At that time, the office of Jiaoshi, including Lu Hong and Zhao Da, was established to investigate matters among the subjects.”

Such covert organizations were not exclusive to the later Ming dynasty.

They existed much earlier, even during the Qin and Han dynasties. The Black Ice Platform of the Qin era and the embroidered uniform officials during Emperor Wu’s reign in the Han Dynasty are prominent examples.

Under Cao Cao’s command, a similar covert organization existed, known as the “Jiaoshi” or the “Agency of Investigation.” Not only did it report directly to Cao Cao, but its officers possessed the authority to oversee internal and external affairs, making it a formidable force. While not as terrifying as the peak period of the Ming dynasty’s Embroidered Uniform Guards (Jinyiwei) and Eastern Depot (Dongcheng), it gradually showed similar signs.

In such circumstances, if Cao Ju had truly been like the ordinary younger brother of historical Cao Chong, who was almost made a puppet emperor by the Sima clan after Cao Fang was deposed, he might have been intimidated by Zhao Da! After all, if Zhao Da had just subtly tripped him up, it could have been enough to lead Cao Ju down the same path as Cao Ju, the Duke of Pengcheng, in history—a life of mediocrity and hopelessness, unable to secure the throne.

But was he that kind of person?

Hence, while a cold intent to kill surged within him, Cao Ju maintained a composed smile in the face of Zhao Da’s provocation.

“This young master.” As he spoke, Cao Ju walked toward Zhao Da. Along the way, he gestured for Dian Man to step back.

Seeing Cao Ju’s reaction, Zhao Da, the commander of the covert organization, felt a sense of satisfaction. What did it matter if it was their lord’s son? As long as they couldn’t rise to greater heights and break free, they still had to act according to their wishes, carefully currying favor with them.

However, the next moment, Zhao Da sensed a flicker of blue light. And then, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Zhao Da stared at his chest in disbelief, only to find a longsword had pierced through his heart. Cao Ju stood on the other end of the sword, holding the hilt. He regarded Zhao Da with a playful expression, much as one might look at a dead man.

At this moment, Cao Ju’s light laughter rang out. “Hehe!” “This young master thought.” “You… damn you!”