Chapter 44: The Underlying Logic of Nepotism

“Does Mengde refuse to open his heart to Gongtai?”
Cao Cao’s smile faded; with a baffled expression, he replied, “Gongtai, what makes you say this? You and I have weathered hardships together, supporting one another till today. Naturally, I trust you.”
As if to reinforce his own argument, Chen Gong raised his hand and pointed at Mi Heng, saying, “What abilities does this youth possess? Can he bear the weighty post of Chief Clerk for the army, managing supplies and the allocation of arms?”
Mi Heng looked up in surprise, for once rendered speechless.
Cao Cao tapped lightly on the table. “Zhengping is well-versed in mathematics, knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and has some experience with military affairs. Why should he not be fit for the relatively simple post of Chief Clerk?”
Mi Heng visibly relaxed, smiled, and bowed respectfully to Cao Cao.
Chen Gong sneered, “Mi Heng, courtesy name Zhengping, hails from humble origins and flaunts his talent with arrogance. He gained the favor of Kong Rong of Beihai with his essay ‘Lament for Zhang Heng,’ thus making a name for himself, but in truth he’s nothing more than a mouthpiece spouting grand rhetoric and empty talk of saving the nation.”
Mi Heng was about to retort, but was yanked back by Chen Cong, who shook his head slightly.
There was no point arguing—Chen Gong spoke the truth!
Indeed.
Mi Heng was, at his core, a brilliantly talented provocateur.
In the past, Chen Cong too would have wondered: with a clearly superior Chen Gong available, why choose the less capable Mi Heng?
Now he understood—your allegiance determines your position.
The underlying logic of favoring one’s own is not mindlessly picking close associates, but rather, when two people are equally capable, entrusting the task to the one closer to you.
Put plainly,
What many people lack in life is not ability, but opportunity!
No one is born to govern or command armies; many things can be learned and nurtured.
Mi Heng was more loyal.
He had dared to confront Lü Bu alone on horseback—even if he failed, his loyalty was clear.
He was closer.
Among the Four Swordsmen of Hundred Flowers Hall, his relationship with Cao Cao was obviously the strongest.
He was talented.
He could compose brilliant essays in his youth and debate so fiercely as to make Cao Cao stamp his feet in frustration—this too was potential.
Most importantly, Mi Heng was young and of humble birth.
Youth meant his views were not yet set; he was more malleable, with ample energy to learn and grow.
Humble birth meant he had no family ties to hinder him—a single marriage to a woman of the Cao clan could bind him irrevocably to their cause, at almost no cost.
In fact, that was precisely what Cao Cao was doing.
What Chen Gong did not know was that Mi Heng’s marriage to Cao Ren’s eldest daughter, Cao Zui, was already arranged, awaiting only her coming of age.
A son-in-law of the Cao family in Qiao County, with limitless potential if cultivated—Mi Heng.
A man of Yanzhou’s Dong Commandery, with countless connections—Chen Gong.
If it were merely about governing a territory, perhaps Cao Cao would have chosen Chen Gong, for employing the gentry would win him greater prestige.
But for military secrets and the foundation of power in turbulent times, Cao Cao would only choose Mi Heng, for Mi Heng shared his heart.
Chen Gong’s real issue was not understanding his place.
To want both things is not wrong; what matters is a deep alignment.
Either bring your entire family to Qiao County, or at the very least, swear never to betray him.

In truth, Chen Gong himself had not realized that he always addressed Cao Cao by his courtesy name, never once calling him “my lord.”
Cao Cao sighed softly, “Gongtai, you and Zhengping are both my right-hand men. Quarreling only breeds discord.”
Chen Gong waved impatiently, “Enough. Since you have no use for me, allow me to take my leave.”
“Must you insist?”
“I beg you to allow it.”
Cao Cao was utterly at a loss, slumping in his seat, unable to recover for a long while.
Though Chen Gong was by no means his most cherished companion, Cao Cao, accustomed to smooth sailing, had never before been abandoned by someone of his own accord.
Chen Cong thought nothing of it—he grabbed his Tai’e sword and hurried out after Chen Gong.
Cao Cao was startled out of his gloom and called out in alarm, “Chen Cong, what are you doing?”
“If this man will not serve my father-in-law, he must be eliminated.”
Chen Cong’s reasons for wanting to kill Chen Gong were simple.
The Lü Boshe massacre was known only to the two of them; they had plotted it together. So how did the phrase “Better for me to wrong others than for others to wrong me” become known throughout the land? Surely it was not Cao Cao who spread it.
Now that the two had fallen out, who knew what stories Chen Gong might tell once he left?
Besides, if Chen Gong joined Lü Bu, he might even try to seize Yanzhou.
Better to silence him once and for all.
“Nonsense! This man once did me a great favor. Since we part amicably, how can I kill him? What would the world say?”
“Understood,” Chen Cong nodded, turning briskly to leave.
Cao Cao was exasperated. “What exactly did he understand?”
Mi Heng shook his head in confusion. “Perhaps, maybe, he understood the lord’s intentions?”
“What intentions?”
“Perhaps, maybe…not to let the world speak ill of you?”
Disaster!
Cao Cao slapped his forehead and rushed out.

Qiao County’s Hall of Heroes.
Larger and grander than the one in Luoyang, for land here was cheap.
Chen Cong, familiar with the place, went straight to the third floor, where he found Shi A and Yuan Zhong deep in philosophical debate.
Their conversation was so enigmatic that Chen Cong understood not a word, though the two seemed to relish it.
Unbelievable.
Unbothered, Chen Cong strode over, “Second brother, send word to the local fighters—a man needs killing.”
“Oh? Who?”
“A scholar from Dong Commandery in Yanzhou, Chen Gong, courtesy name Gongtai.”
“Very well.”
“Make it look like a bandit attack—keep it discreet.”

That was the good thing about Shi A—he never asked why. If the elder brother asked, he did it.
Of course, the rewards were generous.
By now, Shi A had become Cao Cao’s most well-connected informant.
Through the Hall of Heroes, he gathered all manner of local toughs and put them to use.
Cao Cao’s way of drawing in Shi A was much like how he bound Mi Heng.
But since Shi A was Chen Cong’s sworn brother and held charge of intelligence, the marriage alliance involved Cao Fu instead.
As long as Shi A tended to his young bride as she grew, he too would join the inner circle and a noble title would be within reach.
Thus, the two were not only sworn brothers, but brothers-in-law as well.
Ironically, this made Cao Ang the unintended winner—one brother-in-law a peerless warrior, the other head of intelligence.
One could only feel sorry for young Cao Pi; if his elder brother survived, his prospects would be precarious.
Cao Cao arrived just in time to see a hawk soaring skyward.
“Zining, Zining, Chen Gong left merely out of frustration—why kill him?”
“Father-in-law, you jest. The man dared to accuse you of injustice to your face—imagine what tales he’ll tell behind your back. Better to kill him!”
“And if word gets out?”
In the end, whether Chen Gong lived or died mattered little—Cao Cao’s real worry was being branded with infamy if the truth emerged.
Chen Cong countered, “If we can’t handle even this, why rebuild the Hall of Heroes at such cost?”
Shi A added, “Rest assured, my lord. Should anything go awry, Shi A will answer with his head.”
“Alas…so be it. Then it is I who wrongs Gongtai!” Cao Cao lamented bitterly.
Shi A then revealed a strip of brocade, inscribed with: “Bandits kill Chen Gong of Dong Commandery, Yanzhou.”
Hmm?
Cao Cao stared blankly for three seconds, then turned to Chen Cong, puzzled: “Zining…what is the meaning of this?”
Chen Cong smiled, “No secret order from you, Father-in-law, and the Hall of Heroes will not act. If Second Brother cannot move, how could I?”
Uh…
Cao Cao finally understood and could not help but laugh and cry, “You rascal—sometimes you can’t recognize a word, other times your scheming would tie itself in knots. You are my son-in-law—why be so guarded?”
Chen Cong only smiled in response. Once a forbidden act is committed, it becomes easier to repeat.
He believed that for now, Cao Cao truly did not mind.
Committing a taboo once means little—but what if the heart changes and the original intention is forgotten?
In the chaos of the butterfly effect, he could not predict the course of the future, but at the very least, he could learn from the past.
Conspiracy, after all, lies in the secrecy of the plot itself.
Yuan Zhong shrank into a corner, small, helpless, and pitiable…