Chapter 10: The Eve of Departure

In the dead of night, when the world was hushed and secrets were whispered, the sound of a heavy blow against the gate echoed like a death knell.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The gatekeeper, stifling a yawn, hadn't even finished asking "Who goes there?" before the gate collapsed.

The massive, ten-foot-tall, foot-thick gate crashed heavily to the ground. As the dust slowly settled, the gatekeeper finally caught sight of the man wielding a halberd atop a towering warhorse.

His teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.

With trembling lips, he stammered, "Ch-Ch-Chen the Invincible..."

Chen Cong rested his Flying Tiger Halberd on the gatekeeper's shoulder and asked in a cold voice, "Where is the Colonel of Sili?"

Terrified, the gatekeeper bowed his head, his eyes darting toward the back courtyard.

"Go, invite him to the main hall."

"Understood."

Chen Cong rode in slowly. Upon reaching the main hall, he dismounted, cradled his halberd, and leaned against his horse, Shadow, to wait.

He could have ridden straight into Wang Kuang’s private quarters, but there was no need. The arrogance he displayed to the world was mostly just a means to an end. Unless forced into a life-or-death struggle, leaving a path for others was, in essence, leaving a path for oneself. After all, who doesn't have a family to consider?

A moment later, Wang Kuang emerged with a sour look on his face.

With a tone that was seventy percent frustration and thirty percent helplessness, he said, "Chen Zining, why have you come again? This time, there is truly no grain left—not even a single peck!"

Chen Cong didn't waste time. He produced a bamboo slip and handed it to Wang Kuang. It was a written copy of the three strategies Jia Xu had proposed that day: "make him die," "make him rebel," or "make him flee."

At a single glance, Wang Kuang was struck with terror. His hands shook so violently that he couldn't hold the slip, and it clattered to the floor, scattering in pieces.

He cried out, "Does Zining truly have no regard for our past friendship during the campaign against Dong Zhuo?"

Chen Cong sneered, "If I had no regard for it, would you still be alive today, Wang Gong? Death, rebellion, or flight—these three paths lie before you. Please, choose for yourself."

Wang Kuang looked up at Chen Cong.

His face was filled with misery as he pleaded, "If I were to follow the lead of the General Who Conquers the West, what then?"

Chen Cong shook his head.

If Wang Kuang had been sensible earlier, Cao Cao naturally wouldn't have minded welcoming him with open arms. After all, he was a warlord who had joined the campaign against Dong Zhuo; there was prestige in recruiting him.

But the situation now was different. Cao Cao was determined to wage war on two fronts, and keeping such an unstable factor around would only invite trouble. The warlords of the world might despise Dong Zhuo for crossing the Hangu Pass to seize Sili, but they would be delighted to watch Cao Cao and Wang Kuang tear each other apart.

In other words, if Wang Kuang were to strike while Sili was vulnerable, cutting off the Cao army at its center, the consequences would be even more lethal than Dong Zhuo’s advance.

"Kuang, don't overthink it. Take my advice: cross the Yangtze and head south. The Central Plains are too dangerous; they are no place for you."

Wang Kuang’s expression flickered repeatedly. He stared at Chen Cong for a long time before letting out a long sigh.

"If I insist on heading north to join Lord Yuan, what does Zining think of that?"

Chen Cong didn't even hesitate. "Then do not blame me for forgetting our past friendship."

"Sigh! Very well." Wang Kuang offered a bitter smile and cupped his hands. "In that case, I shall cross the river and seek my fortune elsewhere."

With Wang Kuang dealt with, Chen Cong didn't need to worry about the rest; scouts would naturally monitor his journey south. Once he cleared Xuanyuan Pass, there would be no turning back.

...

The next day, just before dawn, Chen Cong bade farewell to Cao Cao.

When he returned to his residence, his three beautiful wives had already packed their belongings, waiting in eager anticipation. While the virtue of a wife following her husband was admirable, Chen Cong wasn't going on a pleasure excursion.

After a moment of contemplation, he called out to Dong Bai first: "Bai, you are with child and it would be too taxing for you to travel. Stay here in Luoyang."

Dong Bai blinked, about to argue, when she suddenly felt a surge of nausea and retched. The servants scrambled to fetch a physician, who confirmed she was indeed expecting.

Diaochan approached, puzzled. "General, how did you know Bai was with child?"

Chen Cong rolled his eyes. He had been working hard enough to exhaust an ox; unless the soil was barren, how could he not have sown a seed?

After settling Dong Bai...

Chen Cong turned to Liu Ying and said softly, "Wannian, you should also stay in Luoyang."

"I am not with child, so why must I stay?"

"The household needs a mistress to manage it. Bai is naive, and as for Chan'er, well, need I say more? If I leave on official business, are we to just abandon this massive estate?"

In the past, it hadn't mattered. Chen Cong had been a pauper, relying on his father-in-law for every meal. But things were different now. The Chen family was, at the very least, a household of some standing. While the family wasn't large, the assets were substantial.

Although the various mineral rights obtained in exchange for the Imperial Seal had gone to Cao Cao, thirty percent of the profits from the seventy-four brothels in Luoyang went to Chen Cong. Even though he had lost the management rights after the intelligence network was reorganized, the dividends were real.

Furthermore, his title as the Marquis of Sishui Pavilion, once merely honorary, was now a reality. While the territory wasn't large, its proximity to Luoyang and its dense population meant the actual tax revenue was significant.

Then there was Dong Bai’s title, Lady of Weiyang, granted by Dong Zhuo himself. He couldn't just leave it as an empty title; the "Demon Lord" Dong wouldn't dare lose face by granting a hollow fiefdom. That was another county’s worth of revenue. It would be foolish not to claim it.

Dong Bai was not one for responsibility. All day long, it was either "My grandfather is the Grand Preceptor" or "My husband is Chen the Invincible." Relying on her to run a household was a pipe dream.

Diaochan? Even less likely. She had likely seen all she would ever see of the world during those days she spent inside a shipping crate. Asking her to manage the vast Chen estate was absurd.

Liu Ying was entirely different. As a neglected princess of the Han dynasty, she had received her own fiefdom early on and had to manage it to cover the expenses of the Princess's Manor. She had the experience. If she were in charge, she wouldn't necessarily lead them to grand glory, but keeping the books balanced would be no problem at all.

"Understood!" Liu Ying gave Chen Cong a sharp look before turning away with a haughty toss of her head.

Seeing her leave, Diaochan immediately grabbed Chen Cong’s arm and shook it vigorously. "Master, I can go to Bingzhou with you now, right?"

"Call me husband and let me hear it."

Diaochan squinted, smiling sweetly. "Husband~"

"Now call me master."

"Master~"

Chen Cong, satisfied, waved his hand. "You have a certain charm. Fine, go change your clothes."

"Huh?" Diaochan looked down at her flowing green silk robes and white embroidered skirt, confused. "General, am I not beautiful?"

"So, you intend to ride a horse in that?"

"Ride a horse?" Diaochan was stunned. She hadn't even considered the question; in fact, she didn't even know how to ride.

Chen Cong was shocked. "It's such a long journey—don't tell me you were planning to ride in a crate?"

"How mean! Can't I just ride in a carriage?"

"First, my troop is entirely cavalry; I don't have time to wait for you. If you want to take a carriage, you can trail behind at your own pace. Second, it is said that a hundred thousand White Wave bandits are entrenched in Bingzhou, and barbarians frequently raid the area. If you aren't afraid of being kidnapped, then by all means, take a carriage."

Diaochan let out a small shriek and scurried away. A moment later, she returned, struggling to move in a suit of heavy armor.

Chen Cong felt exhausted and patted his forehead.

"You really know how to pick them," he said, speechless. "My iron armor weighs forty-six pounds and can deflect arrows from a two-stone bow. If you can wear that all the way to Jinyang, you could enlist in the army for your father on the spot."

Diaochan: ...