Three Kingdoms: Prince of the Great Wei, Prime Minister Cao

Chapter 41: General Wen’s Savage Tiger Showdown, and the Unexpected Arrival of Wen Yang?

Facing his son Cao Ju, who, this time, did not delve into the “Art of the Emperor’s Heart” but engaged in the game of “changing positions” and “shifting from passive to active,” Cao Cao suddenly realized that his son possessed extraordinary talent. In the art of manipulating people’s hearts, even he couldn’t help but be amazed. In terms of quick thinking…

Only his son Cao Chong, who had been able to estimate the weight of an elephant since childhood, could be compared to him. The rest of his sons were not on the same level. His thoughts turned, and as he faced Cao Ju, who was waiting for his evaluation, Cao Cao found himself in a dilemma.

Once, twice, but not a third time. He couldn’t add another condition to limit Cao Ju’s thought process and force him to devise another solution. At this moment, there was suddenly a commotion outside the carriage.

“The savage tiger has been killed!”

“General Wen carried the tiger back on his shoulders!”

“Whoa! Look at that, there’s not a single arrow on the tiger’s body. Could it be that General Wen killed the tiger with his bare hands?”

“Not only the tiger, General Wen’s men didn’t spare the pack of wolves either.”

“Wow, tonight we’re in luck. Maybe we’ll get to taste what tiger and wolf meat are like.”

“You’re right. These past few days of marching have left our mouths craving flavor.”

Outside, discussions were buzzing. Unbeknownst to them, this chatter resolved Cao Cao’s dilemma. Even Cao Ju, upon hearing the soldiers’ discussions, was suddenly jolted.

General Wen?

Killed a live tiger?

Could it be that among the soldiers who recently went out on pursuit, there was someone who dared to fight and kill a tiger?

At this moment, only three words echoed in Cao Ju’s mind.

“General Wen!”

Aside from Wen Ping, there weren’t many notable generals with the surname Wen throughout the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era. Among them, Cao Ju knew only of the most renowned warrior from the later Three Kingdoms period, who was hailed as the mightiest, capable of “breaking through enemy lines without fear of blades and spears, his strength crushing enemy formations like sunlight piercing through clouds” – Wei’s Wenyang.

However, Cao Ju knew that Wen Ping couldn’t be here now. After their defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao stationed Wen Ping in Xiangyang, along with Cao Ren, to jointly defend Jingzhou.

Since Wen Ping wasn’t here…

Then who could it be?

Cao Ju suppressed his inner excitement.

Could it really be the person he was thinking of?

If he could recruit this person. Even in the presence of Zhao Yun, he would dare to greet Liu Bei and even inquire about Liu Bei’s wife!

After all, for fans of the Three Kingdoms from later generations, the debate about who the real “Seven In and Seven Out” warrior was within the massive army had never ceased. In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhao Zilong of Changshan (Zhao Yun) was believed to be the one to perform this feat. However, adherents of the historical records of the Three Kingdoms…

They firmly believed Wenyang was the true “Seven In and Seven Out” man. They thought that Zhao Zilong’s seven entries and seven exits at Changban were merely Luo Guanzhong’s attempt to attribute Wenyang’s deeds to Zhao Yun.

Similarly, at this moment, Cao Cao’s attention was also drawn by the voices from outside.

Already in a difficult position, he smoothly said, “Hehe!”

“Zihuan, Ziwen, Zimu, the three of you, come with me to look.”

“As a father, I must see for myself…”

“Someone who has the courage of a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gall, daring to fight nonchalantly in front of my two hundred thousand troops under Cao Cao.”

After discreetly glossing over the test, Cao Cao was the first to rise, bending his body to stick his head out of the carriage, then stepping down and heading away. Seeing this, Cao Ju and the other two did not hesitate, immediately following Cao Cao out of the carriage. As they stepped out of the carriage, before even fully dismounting, Cao Ju was struck with awe. On the ground beside the carriage’s path lay the body of a tiger, measuring around twenty feet in length, stretched out before everyone.

Though not as long as his “ding ding,” its exposed fangs were nearly as long as his “Kato Eagle’s Claw.”

The tiger’s body showed no signs of wounds whatsoever.

Through its bloody mouth and its protruding eyes…

Cao Ju, who had seen how Wu Song killed a tiger in “Outlaws of the Marsh” (one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature), didn’t need to approach closely to understand that the tiger before him had been forcefully beaten to death by someone. Because Wu Song, killed by a tiger, had met a similarly gruesome fate.

The shock didn’t stop there. Behind the tiger’s body, a row of wolf carcasses was arranged. However, their bodies were far from intact. Arrows still protruded from their wolf hides. The blood seeping from their fur stained a large portion of the ground. Cao Ju wasn’t the only one struck with awe; Cao Cao was equally shocked.

After a momentary shock…

Cao Cao burst into laughter, “Hahaha!”

“Where’s my General Wen?”

“Quick, come forward and let me have a look. Are you injured?”

As Cao Cao spoke…

A robust figure with muscular arms resembling coiling dragons emerged among the many soldiers.

“Lord, your subordinate is here!”

Hearing these words, Cao Ju immediately followed the sound with his gaze.

Could this person be Wenyang?