Chapter Eleven: The Two Qiaos Pay a Visit to Seek Out Chu

Watching Yuan Shu depart, Chu Feng couldn’t help but sigh. Just look at this—his own father devoted so much attention to Yuan Shu, so much love mixed with disappointment. It was as if he wanted to give himself the motivation to rebel! He needed to work harder himself.

With this thought, he summoned Uncle Li and instructed him that the craftsmen must not stop their work. He also disassembled the spinning and weaving machines, telling Li to find people to forge the parts as soon as possible.

When all this was done, Chu Feng began to pack his belongings. At dawn the next day, he would lead his men into Mount Tu. They were elite troops, at the very least skilled in wilderness survival.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shu returned to his palace.

His once listless spirit was now invigorated with renewed vigor; he was gathering his strength, preparing to march on Chen State and seize Cao Cao’s territory to establish himself as king.

If only he could defeat Cao Cao, he would be the Son of Heaven.

But defeating Cao Cao was easier said than done; that man was a formidable opponent.

...

Two days later.

In the rear courtyard of the Qiao residence in Shouchun.

Two young women played the zither and danced; both were of extraordinary beauty. The one playing the zither was tall and elegant, her every gesture marked by the grace of a noble house. The dancer was petite and lively, exuding a sweet and cheerful air.

These were none other than the famous Qiao sisters!

The elder sister, Da Qiao, played the zither, while the younger, Xiao Qiao, danced.

Both were beauties famed for their allure, said to outshine even the sinking fish and falling geese. Da Qiao was elegant and composed, virtuous and dignified, the epitome of a noble matron. Xiao Qiao was pure and open-hearted, lively and spirited.

At that moment, as the melody echoed through the air, an anxious voice suddenly rang out.

“Miss, something terrible has happened! The master—”

“What’s happened to my father?” The music came to an abrupt halt as Da Qiao asked anxiously.

“His Majesty’s army was defeated by Lü Bu. The master—Qiao Rui—was captured alive by Lü Bu at Xiapi. His current fate is unknown!” The maid’s voice trembled with urgency.

[There are few historical records about the Qiao sisters; the following is the author’s deduction based on available sources. Readers who prefer strict adherence to history may skip this.]

“‘When attacking Wan, they captured it, and at the time took Qiao Gong’s two daughters, both of peerless beauty.’ — Records of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Zhou Yu.

‘Ce joked with Yu, saying: “Though Qiao Gong’s children have been scattered, with the two of us as sons-in-law, it is happiness enough.”’ — Jiang Biao Zhuan.

‘After Shu’s death, Chief Secretary Yang Hong and General Zhang Xun gathered their followers to join Ce, but Liu Xun, Prefect of Lujiang, ambushed them, took their treasures, and left.’ — Records of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Sun Ce.

‘Qiao Rui and Zhang Xun, both generals of Yuan Shu, deeply respected him.’ — Records of the Three Kingdoms, Biography of Sun Ce.

‘Appointed Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui as Grand Generals.’ — Book of the Later Han, Biography of Yuan Shu.

[From these records, Sun Ce likely knew Qiao Gong, and Qiao Rui respected Sun Ce. The title ‘Gong’ fits. After Qiao Rui’s death, the Qiao sisters were referred to as displaced, which makes sense. After Yuan Shu’s death, Zhang Xun joined Sun Ce; Liu Xun intercepted the group and their families en route to Wan, and that same year Sun Ce took Wan and the Qiao sisters, so the timeline roughly fits.]

With a thud, Xiao Qiao collapsed to the ground.

Da Qiao, too, was at a loss, bereft of all stability. Her mother had died early, and now, if anything happened to her father, how could she and her sister survive? She forced herself to gather her composure.

“You’re saying Father was captured by Lü Bu?”

“That’s what I heard, miss!”

“Sister, let’s quickly go see Lord Yuan. Father is a chief general under him—he surely won’t abandon Father to his fate.” Da Qiao stood up at once; this was no time for tears.

“Yes!” Xiao Qiao nodded.

...

Some time later, in the palace.

For the past two days, Yuan Shu had been struggling with his fear of Cao Cao, contemplating strategies to defeat him.

Just then, an eunuch announced, “Your Majesty, General Qiao’s daughters, the Qiao sisters, are outside the palace asking for an audience. They beg Your Majesty to save their father. What is your will?”

“The Qiao sisters?” Yuan Shu raised an eyebrow.

He vaguely remembered someone mentioning them, but with the war at hand, he waved his hand impatiently, “Tell them I have urgent matters to attend to and cannot see them now. Ask them to return.”

The eunuch bowed and withdrew.

Not long after, he returned.

“Your Majesty, the Qiao sisters refuse to leave. They say they will wait until Your Majesty is free to receive them.”

“How troublesome!” Yuan Shu muttered in irritation. He still had to figure out how to fight Cao Cao as his son had advised; he had no time to worry about Qiao Rui’s fate. As for the Qiao sisters...

Wait—Qiao sisters? Had his son mentioned them before?

Recalling this, Yuan Shu made up his mind. Since Qiao Rui was one of his chief generals, he might as well direct the sisters to seek out Chu Feng. That way, he could also see whether his son truly had ability.

Thus he ordered, “Go tell them that twenty li east of the city is the Chu Manor, whose master is skilled in the arts of yin and yang. They may seek his counsel for a way to save their father.”

...

Outside Shouchun, the carriage rattled along the road.

“Sister, do you think Yuan Shu was telling the truth? Can this manor lord really help us save Father?” Xiao Qiao asked, her face puzzled with worry.

“Yuan Shu is an emperor; he ought not deceive us. Let us hope this manor lord truly knows a way,” Da Qiao replied anxiously, full of hope.

After a long while, they arrived at the manor.

The Qiao sisters alighted from the carriage, their beauty outshining all the flowers around them.

The poor common folk dared not so much as glance at them with disrespect; the women even felt a sense of inferiority. For there was no comparison—these two were simply unmatched in both looks and bearing.

After some inquiries, they arrived at the manor gate.

Uncle Li, upon seeing the Qiao sisters, was visibly taken aback by their loveliness and asked, “Ladies, may I ask what brings you here?”

“Sir, is this the residence of Master Chu?” Da Qiao inquired.

“You’re looking for my young master? Unfortunately, you’ve come at a bad time—he’s away on a journey and may not return for some time,” Uncle Li explained.

“Sir, my sister and I have urgent business with him. Do you know when he’ll be back?” Da Qiao asked anxiously.

“I’m afraid I do not,” came the reply.

...

Da Qiao’s face fell with disappointment.

“Sir, would you kindly tell Master Chu upon his return that the daughters of General Qiao from Shouchun came to visit?” As she spoke, she pressed a gold ingot into his hand.

“Of course,” Uncle Li nodded.

Their visit was as hurried as their departure.

Along the road, the Qiao sisters fell into a silent gloom.

—

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Qiao sisters exhausted every connection they had, even sending people to Xuzhou to inquire, but to no avail. All they learned was that Qiao Rui was still alive.

After seeking help everywhere and finding no solution, they thought again of Chu Feng. That day, they made another journey by carriage.

But once again, Chu Feng was not at home.

The sisters could only leave, disappointed.

During this time, Yuan Shu had also visited twice. Finding Chu Feng away, he said little, merely leaving behind the craftsmen and some female workers he had brought.

Uncle Li, meanwhile, kept a close eye on the craftsmen.

...

Mount Tu, a small mountain.

In ancient times, the forests teemed with fierce beasts, countless insects, snakes, rats, and ants. During years of famine, refugees would rather eat roots than venture into the forests—one of the reasons being the great danger.

Of course, the main reason was their lack of hunting skills. The forests harbored too many lethal threats; unless one was an experienced hunter, ordinary folk entered the woods at their peril.

At this moment, a group of men moved through the forest.

Each was armed with short daggers, sabers, and crossbows.

Clearly, this was Chu Feng and his two hundred strong men. Yet after three days, their provisions were exhausted, and they had begun to forage and adapt to the wild.

From worms and earthworms to tigers, leopards, and wolves—they went from initial revulsion to desperate hunger, from fear to utter indifference to crawling insects.

They gradually learned which foods were easiest to find in the mountains, how to quickly locate water, and even survival skills; they learned much.

The price, however, was steep. Of the original two hundred, only one hundred and ninety-six remained—one had died from a venomous snake, another from a tiger attack, and two more from poisonous insects.

Nonetheless, the survivors had become more coordinated. On the basis of the original three-man light infantry squads, Chu Feng switched to groups of five, which provided better support and control.

The trial by nature continued.

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