Chapter 7: Temporary Guard
The next morning, Gan Ning met Cao Cao again.
Cao Cao picked up an envelope from the desk and handed it to Gan Ning, “This is your appointment letter. From now on, you are the Magistrate of Chaisang!”
“Not the County Magistrate?” Gan Ning asked doubtfully as he took the envelope.
Cao Cao shook his head, “Chaisang’s population scale is not yet at the level of a County Magistrate. There is no County Magistrate of Chaisang County, only the County Chief of Chaisang!”
Gan Ning nodded. Whether County Magistrate or County Chief, it didn’t matter, as long as he was the boss of Chaisang.
“And this!”
Cao Cao handed him another thick leather pouch, “I have additionally appointed you Colonel of the Chongsai Army and enfeoffed you as Commander of a Detached Unit. This way, you will have the qualifications to command troops. Also, I will support you in the Imperial Court!”
“Imperial Court?”
Gan Ning grew a bit anxious, “Minister of Works, my lord, I need money and grain, I need armor, not this kind of empty support!”
Cao Cao smiled faintly: “This is not empty support. For example, if you capture Yuzhang Commandery, I will recommend you as the Governor of Yuzhang Commandery. You can obtain money and grain supplies from Liu Biao and Huang Zu, but can you obtain the Imperial Court’s seal as Governor of Yuzhang?”
Gan Ning was truly somewhat discouraged. He thought for a moment and said: “Can you give me a monthly quota of two thousand shi of official salt? This request isn’t too much, right!”
When Gan Ning was a Brocade Sail Bandit back then, he had trafficked smuggled salt from Bashu. He knew the huge profits in it.
Cao Cao still shook his head, “Before you take down Yuzhang Commandery, I cannot give you anything!”
Gan Ning suddenly understood and nodded slowly, “Minister of Works, my lord, you have given me an examination question?”
“You could say that!”
Cao Cao smiled, “This question is not easy to solve. As far as I know, Sun Ce is also working on this question!”
Yuzhang Commandery again. Gan Ning had made a one-year agreement with Lu Su, and now Cao Cao also wanted to use Yuzhang Commandery to test him. It seemed this was the first hurdle fate had set for him.
He pondered for a moment and said: “Then let’s set a one-year deadline!”
“Fine! We have a deal.”
……..
Gan Ning left Cao Cao’s Mansion with a heavy heart, but he heard someone calling him from behind, “General Gan!”
Gan Ning turned around and saw a carriage driving up. Cao Pi was waving from the carriage window.
Gan Ning stepped aside. The carriage stopped in front of him, and Cao Pi smiled from the window: “Does General Gan have time?”
Gan Ning smiled, “In fact, I am preparing to leave Xuchang. I have already arranged with my subordinates to meet at the dock at noon!”
“It will only delay General Gan for one hour. Leave a bit later!”
“What does the Young Master need me to do?”
Cao Pi smiled, “I need to attend a rather important banquet on behalf of my father, but my Guard Captain is sick today. I have no suitable guard leader by my side. I would like to ask General Gan to temporarily serve as my guard leader. Just one hour.”
He had to give this face. Gan Ning nodded, “Thank you for the Young Master’s trust. I am happy to do it. But could we detour to the dock side? I need to hand things over to my subordinates.”
“Sure!”
Cao Pi beckoned, and a guard led a warhorse over and gave him a sword. Gan Ning mounted the horse and followed Cao Pi’s carriage toward the dock outside the city.
Outside the city, Gan Ning handed the appointment letter to Wang Ping and glanced back at Cao Pi’s carriage.
“Wait for me for about half a day. I will catch up!”
“No need to worry, General. Go ahead!”
Gan Ning mounted his horse, spurred it to the carriage, and smiled at Cao Pi: “Let’s go!”
But Cao Pi fell silent. After a while, he said: “If the General is willing to stay, I am confident I can persuade my father to let the General take over Dian Wei’s position!”
As expected, Gan Ning knew Cao Pi had another purpose. It wasn’t just about being a bodyguard; he wanted to persuade him to stay.
To take over Dian Wei’s position? How could that be? How could Cao Cao let someone like him, with a river bandit background, serve as his most trusted personal guard?
Cao Pi thought the matter too simply. Perhaps it was because he had mentioned the weight of the twin halberds to Cao Cao, leading Cao Pi to associate it with Dian Wei.
“Thank you for the Young Master’s kind intentions, but I still want to go to Chaisang!”
Cao Pi was somewhat dejected, but he was not willing to give up. He continued to Gan Ning: “I think the General underestimates Liu Biao. This man appears sanctimonious on the surface, but in reality, he is extremely deep and scheming, with ruthless methods. Our defeat at Wancheng was due to Liu Biao supporting and inciting Zhang Xiu from behind. All the aristocracy of Jingxiang support him. The General is far from his match; your strength gap is too great.
And Huang Zu—you think he is stupid? He is not stupid at all. This man is insidious and cunning. No matter how Liu Biao tries to win him over or deal with him, he firmly controls Jiangxia Commandery. Even Sun Jian died at his hands.
Huang Zu has many soldiers and generals under him, with strong strength. He will never allow you to sleep soundly beside his bed. He will definitely try his utmost to eliminate you.
And Sun Ce—my father says he is unstoppable like a splitting bamboo, with irresistible momentum. He has currently taken the four commanderies of Jiangdong, and next will inevitably be Lujiang Commandery and Yuzhang Commandery. Once he targets Yuzhang Commandery, Chaisang will be the first to bear the brunt.
General Gan Ning, the opportunity to start a new venture is gone now. Choosing a wise lord is the major matter you should consider, not going to Chaisang to start a venture.”
Cao Pi spoke very sincerely, and Gan Ning could see that he truly wanted to keep him. Gan Ning was unwilling to reject him outright, so he smiled tactfully: “How about this! Let me go and try. If the venture fails, I will definitely come to join the Young Master.”
Giving others hope is the most tactful refusal. Cao Pi’s eyes lit up, and he raised his palm with a smile: “Then let’s slap palms as a vow. We have a deal!”
Gan Ning was also moved by Cao Pi’s sincerity and slapped palms heavily with him, “We have a deal!”
Cao Pi smiled, “Then let’s go!”
Gan Ning was stunned, “Do I still need to go?”
“Of course!”
Cao Pi smiled faintly: “You are my Safety Guard leader. If you don’t go, who will ensure my safety?”
Gan Ning laughed speechlessly, spurred his warhorse, and caught up with the carriage.
……..
Cao Pi was going to the Grand Commandant Yang Biao’s Mansion. This month was the Son of Heaven’s birthday, and representatives from noble families and local warlords from all over the world gathered in Xuchang to celebrate the Son of Heaven’s birthday.
The aristocracy’s favorite way to socialize is gatherings, convenient for making connections, privately exchanging interests, or even marriage alliances. Today, Yang Biao was hosting, inviting representatives from various places to his mansion for the banquet.
Cao Pi’s carriage slowly stopped. Yang Xiu, who was greeting guests at the door, came up with a face full of smiles: “Welcome, Second Young Master, for gracing us with your presence!”
Cao Pi took out an invitation and said: “My father cannot come today and has specially entrusted me to attend the banquet on his behalf!”
Yang Xiu was overjoyed and hurriedly said: “Please, Second Young Master!”
Cao Pi pointed at Gan Ning, “This is my Safety Guard. He must follow me!”
“No problem, Young Master, please!”
Cao Pi strode into Yang Mansion. By his side was a petite woman who stayed close to him like his shadow—this was Cao Pi’s personal female guard. Gan Ning was only responsible for perimeter safety.
Gan Ning followed Cao Pi into the mansion gate expressionlessly.
……..
Although Yang Biao had no real power, he ranked first in the Imperial Court and had great prestige throughout the world, admired by countless scholars. Cao Cao gave full face to Yang Biao, arranging the largest mansion in Xuchang City for him, even surpassing Cao Cao’s Minister of Works Mansion.
The mansion covered fifty mu, consisting of the front courtyard, courtyard, east and west courtyards, and rear residence. Today’s gathering was held in the courtyard and the east and west courtyards.
More than two hundred representatives from families and forces from various places attended the gathering.
Cao Pi was representing his father Cao Cao and held high status. He was invited into the Guest Hall to sit. His personal female guard followed in, while Gan Ning could only wait in the outside courtyard, observing the situation. If any abnormality occurred, he would promptly protect Cao Pi and leave.
There were many guests in the courtyard, all gathered in twos and threes chatting idly. Gan Ning didn’t recognize any of them, and no one paid attention to him. He had no choice but to sit bored on the stone slab of the flower bed.
At this moment, a curious girl’s voice came from beside him, “Young Master, you really are not from the southwest?”
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