Chapter 5: Imperial Seal
Gan Ning led his subordinates to stay at the Gaoping Inn. Rooms in the Han Dynasty were all very spacious. Everyone sat on the floor, and the furniture was also very low.
The Imperial Seal was placed right on the desk in front of Gan Ning. Gan Ning gazed at it in silence, considering how to deliver the Imperial Seal to Cao Cao.
According to his former personality, he would go straight to Cao Cao’s Mansion to request an audience, but now things were different.
Now what he thought of was one chicken two eats—what situation allows one chicken to be eaten twice? The answer is when two emperors eat it together.
“I want to pay a visit to Cao Pi!”
………
Cao Pi was only thirteen years old now. No matter, getting acquainted with him would also count as forming a good connection.
Cao Pi had not yet reached the age to establish his own mansion. He went out every morning to study and returned home in the evening.
Cao Cao was not yet Chancellor. It would be in the Thirteenth Year of Jian’an, after abolishing the Three Excellencies System, that Cao Cao would be called Chancellor Cao. He was currently Minister of Works, generally called Minister of Works Cao.
His mansion was also called the Minister of Works Mansion, located north of Xuchang City, right next to the Xuchang Palace.
This was Main Street, with quite a few pedestrians, but soldiers stood guard at the entrance to the Cao Mansion. Pedestrians could not approach and had to stay far away.
In the afternoon, over a dozen cavalry escorted a carriage back. A guard shouted loudly, “Second Young Master is returning to the mansion. Idle people, make way!”
Pedestrians on the road hurriedly dodged to both sides.
Gan Ning, standing by the wall in the distance, immediately shouted loudly: “Selling Yuan Shu’s head! Anyone want Yuan Shu’s head?”
He spoke clearly, with a loud voice, and the carriage immediately stopped.
Soon, a Guard Captain rode up on horseback and said: “You there, what nonsense are you spouting here? Do you want to go to jail?”
Gan Ning smiled faintly: “I’m not spouting nonsense. I am indeed selling Yuan Shu’s head. Don’t believe me? Take a look!”
Gan Ning opened the box, and Yuan Shu’s head looked lifelike.
The Guard Captain was startled and called over a few subordinates to watch Gan Ning. He himself hurriedly turned his horse around to report back. Soon, the Battalion Commander returned and said: “My young master invites you over. First, hand over your weapon!”
Gan Ning took off his blade and handed it to him, patted himself down, and laughed: “No more weapons!”
“Follow me. Don’t try any tricks!”
Gan Ning came before the carriage. The carriage window opened, revealing a young boy’s face with thick eyebrows and big eyes, his gaze stern.
The boy was none other than Cao Pi. He sized up Gan Ning and could not help but secretly praise him: what a robust man.
Gan Ning was six feet four inches tall, with broad shoulders and a solid waist, an extremely sturdy build, long arms, skin tanned dark, sharp features, and piercing eyes—like a fierce black tiger.
Liu Qi of Xiangyang had also taken a liking to Gan Ning at first sight and tried hard to persuade his father to keep Gan Ning, which ultimately earned him a harsh scolding from his father.
Cao Pi asked: “May I ask where the brave man is from, what is his name, and how he came to have Yuan Shu’s head?”
“I am Gan Ning from Ba Commandery, come from Shouchun to present Yuan Shu’s head in pursuit of wealth and honor!”
“Were you waiting specifically for me?” The clever young Cao Pi immediately guessed Gan Ning’s intention.
Gan Ning nodded with a smile. “I hope Young Master Cao can pass it on to your father!”
Cao Pi took the box, opened it for a look, then turned to the Guard Captain. The Guard Captain nodded; he had seen Yuan Shu and could recognize him at a glance.
Cao Pi was overjoyed. It was indeed the head of Yuan Shu that his father had long desired.
“What do you want?”
Gan Ning said calmly: “Yuan Shu’s head is merely a stepping stone. If your father approves, I have something he is truly interested in!”
“What is it?” Cao Pi’s curiosity was instantly piqued.
Gan Ning smiled faintly. “Your father knows what it is.”
Cao Pi immediately ordered: “Take him into the mansion and entertain him well!”
Cao Cao’s carriage, under the tight escort of hundreds of guards, slowly entered the mansion. A guard stepped forward to open the carriage door and help Cao Cao down.
“I heard something happened in the mansion. What occurred?”
“Reporting to Minister of Works, this afternoon when Second Young Master returned to the mansion, someone presented him with Yuan Shu’s head.”
“Whose head?” Cao Cao was slightly taken aback.
“Yuan Shu’s head!”
Cao Cao was stunned. Yuan Shu’s head? After a moment, he asked: “Who brought it?”
“A man named Gan Ning. He actually wants to present the head to Minister of Works.”
Cao Cao felt like he had heard this name somewhere before.
He nodded. “Have Erlang come to the study to see me!”
……..
Cao Cao arrived in his study and sat down. He seemed somewhat preoccupied.
He was already forty-five this year. Time had added a few streaks of frost to his temples. Compared to Liu Biao’s handsome and elegant appearance, Cao Cao had a cunning and sly air, his pair of narrow triangular eyes flashing with sharp intelligence. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed, full of crafty flavor.
Cao Cao was rather short, about five feet two inches tall. Standing before giants like Xu Chu, Dian Wei, and Xiahou Dun who were nearly seven feet tall, he was a short and small figure.
But every word from this little man made everyone bow their heads, hold their breath, and listen carefully.
Cao Cao had just returned from Henei Commandery. He had already taken Henei Commandery, gaining his first foothold in Hebei, which also meant he had broken the balance. A hegemonic war with Yuan Shao was now inevitable.
Everyone thought Cao Cao was no match for Yuan Shao. In military resources, political resources, and economic resources, Yuan Shao swept all rivals in the world. Though Cao Cao had just defeated Lu Bu, Yuan Shao had also taken down Gongsun Zan, with hundreds of thousands of troops in high spirits.
So even Cao Cao lacked confidence in himself, manifesting as preoccupation.
At this time, eldest son Cao Pi hurriedly entered and knelt to perform a grand rite to his father. “Son pays respects to Father!”
“I heard someone presented Yuan Shu’s head. What happened?”
Cao Pi hurriedly recounted the events from an hour ago. With a wave of his hand, a subordinate came forward with a plate, on which was the wooden box containing the head.
Cao Cao opened the wooden box. Inside was Yuan Shu’s head, lifelike. Cao Cao could not help but laugh. “Highway, how have you been?”
Seeing Yuan Shu’s head, Cao Cao was in a great mood. Now he could give the Son of Heaven an explanation.
Yuan Shu had usurped the throne, but the one truly enraged was not Cao Cao, but the Son of Heaven Liu Xie. He had issued several edicts to Cao Cao demanding that Yuan Shu be annihilated completely—alive to be captured, dead to be produced.
Though compared to the matter with Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu’s life or death was trivial, the Son of Heaven Liu Xie’s constant nagging in Cao Cao’s ear had annoyed him. Now he could finally shut the Son of Heaven up.
Cao Cao nodded. “What reward does this Gan Ning want?”
“He didn’t say. He only said he has something Father is truly interested in.”
“What is it?”
“He said Father knows!”
Cao Cao’s eyes lit up. Could it be that treasure?
Cao Cao immediately thought of the Imperial Seal. Everyone knew the Imperial Seal was in Yuan Shu’s hands. Cao Cao had thought the Imperial Seal had been given to Yuan Shao, but then realized it was impossible. This was Yuan Shu’s last capital; how could he give it away easily?
At this moment, Cao Cao was so excited he could hardly sit still. He had not felt such anticipation in many years. He hurriedly said to his son: “What Gan Ning means must be the Imperial Seal. You go get the Imperial Seal first. If there’s no issue, I’ll meet him then!”
Cao Pi’s eyes also brightened. The Imperial Seal! Could it really be that the Liu clan is doomed and the Cao clan is destined to rise?
He hurriedly stood and said: “Son will go find him right now!”
