On the White Gate Tower
Cao Cao was holding a banquet. He cannot withhold himself from showing off his strength and vigour! That Lu Bu, the same Lu Bu who once held the twelve warlords to naught was defeated by him. Not only had he defeated Lu Bu, he also obtained Lu Bu’s estates. Perhaps later he will obtain his harem too - he had yearned for Diaochan for quite some time now.
“Congratulations Prime Minister! Xiapi had been conquered; as for Xu Province, it is within the grasps of sire’s palms. With Xu Province in hand, sire could feed a hundred thousand troops!” A scholar kneeled to congratulate Cao Cao.
“Haha. Rise, rise!” Cao Cao was in a very good mood. As for the person kneeling on the ground, he’s Chen Qun who had previously been serving Lu Bu. This Chen Qun was a very talented individual. Lu Bu didn’t use him? Well, I, Cao Mende will certainly use him. Haha.
“Being able to conquer Xiapi and defeat Lu Bu today is all because of everyone present! I, Cao Mende, thank you all here!” Xiapi ah, Xu Province ah, oh this was a fertile region. Although being the battlefield of four battles, it could still feed an army of a hundred thousand.
[TL: Literal translation of fertile region: land of fish and rice.]
Cao Cao didn’t set his sight on the Xu Province just once or twice. The first time he attacked Xu Province, he did it under the guise of his father Cao Song’s death. The then owner of Xu Province was Tao Qian, the old and corrupt. Although Tao Qian was no master of the arts of war, he fought Cao Cao back just by using the wealth of Xu Province.
And now was the second time he attacked Xu Province. After much cultivation, Cao Cao finally fought all the way to Xiapi using his Qing Province soldiers. Hell, this was also because Lu Bu dug his own grave by refusing to listen to his advisor.
[TL: Lu Bu did not listen to his advisor Chen Gong’s advice to attack Cao Cao when their troops were tired from a long march. Instead, he decided to stay in Xiapi and wait for Cao Cao to arrive.]
“Dare not, dare not!” Cao Cao’s subordinates all lowered their heads, humbly refusing to accept Cao’s thanks.
[TL: The reason why Cao Cao’s subordinates are refusing to accept his thanks is because he is essentially their master, thus, he needn’t thank them. It’s a social thing, yo. They’re trying to be humble.]
“Humph!” A cold humph was heard.
Cao Cao shifted his focus toward the originator of the humph - a tied up middle aged scholar. ...to even forget about him due to being too rejoiceful. Cao Cao, in a complacent manner, asked the scholar “perhaps Gongtai have some enlightenment?!”
This man, who was currently being tied up, was Lu Bu’s number one military advisor, Chen Gong, Chen Gongtai.
[TL: Gongtai is the courtesy name of Chen Gong.]
“Despicable vile man, if not for the fact that Fengxian did not take my advise, how could you possibly conquered Xiapi! Humph!” Cheng Gong’s prejudice against Cao Cao had never once subsided. Instead, it only deepened over the years.
“Gongtai oh Gongtai, why must you be so. Had you joined me back then, then a seat would be reserved for you in this grand celebration. You could even exhibit your aspirations and grand prospect. To not choose I, Cao Mende, I initially thought it was because Gongtai’s sight was far reaching and had a better candidate. Alas, it appears that Gongtai’s sight was only so!” What Cao Cao meant was: Chen Gongtai, you’re so short sighted. Huge future prospects was presented in front of you and you refused it. Instead, you insist on relying on Lu Bu.
“Hehe, with you? You want me to join you to in your killing of innocents? What had Lu Boshe done to you? Not only did you kill his whole family, you wanted to kill him to? Cao Mende, you are a cruel and unscrupulous person!” The more Chen Gong said, the more excited his tone became.
[TL: Lu Boshe was an old acquaintance of Cao Cao, pretty much his uncle. Cao Cao killed his family when Cao stayed at Lu’s place while on the flee after Cao’s failed attempt at killing Dong Zhou. Cao heard the sharpening of knives and suspected that Lu’s family were plotting to harm him so he killed them for preemptive purposes. Cao remarked “I’d rather do wrong to others than allow them to do wrong to me!”]
[TL: lit. translation for cruel and unscrupulous: heart of wolf and lungs of dog. To call an individual as possessing a heart of wolf and lungs of dog meant that he is an immoral and evil person!”]
All the scholars and generals present were silent. It was their first time hearing the incident regarding Lu Boshe. Although Cao Cao compromised morality, he was still their lord.
“Silence!” Cao Cao’s facial expression changed.
“What, you, Cao Mende, too is afraid? You, Cao Mende, too seek reputation?! If you want my silence then I will continue speaking! I dare you to try killing me!” Chen Gong sneered.
“You really believe that I dared not kill thee?!” Cao Cao pulled out his sword. The sword was called Heaven, forged with highl