Chapter 2: Born in Jian'an First Year

  How big is Zhongyang Town?

  According to the official statement, there are 217 households with a total of 936 people. In Cao Youxue's time, this was nothing. But in Cao Peng's lifetime, a small town with 217 households was already considered a big town.

  It is backed by Zhongyang Mountain and belongs to Wuyin County.

  But also because it is far from the county town, so it is not too valued.

  The water flows from Zhongyang Mountain, passes through Wu Fang County (now Suiping County in Zhumadian City), and empties into the Ru River.

  "Dad, is Liu Jingzhou Liu Biao?"

  Cao Peng, formerly known as Cao Youxue, made a curious expression and asked Cao Ju for advice.

  He had been lying in bed for over a dozen days, and his bones were all loose. He really didn't want to continue lying down, so he ignored Zhang's opposition and started walking on the ground.

  Cao Peng's body was very weak and frail. It is said that when Zhang Shi was pregnant with him, it coincided with the war, and bandits were rampant.

  Once, bandits even attacked outside Zhongyang Town and almost entered the town. Zhang was frightened and Cao Peng became a premature baby.

  Mrs. Zhang was even more frightened and as a result, her milk dried up.

  This also means that Cao Peng has never had breast milk since childhood and grew up on porridge, so his physique is much worse than that of his peers...

  Cao Youxue obtained Cao Peng's fragmented memories, but they were of little use.

  A thirteen-year-old kid, who had never left Zhongyang Town half a step, naturally couldn't provide Cao Youxue with too much useful information. He only knew that Cao was an ironworker, and his skills weren't particularly impressive. Helping people repair farm tools and making small items was okay, but when it came to large items, he wasn't up to the task... In chaotic times, what's the most valuable thing? The answer is simple: weapons.

  Skilled craftsmen were mostly recruited by local lords.

  And craftsmen like Cao Ju who wield two knives at once are naturally not that highly regarded.

  It's better this way, not getting involved in those bloody storms. The Cao family has been safe and sound until now. The small town of Zhongyang is very quiet and also very closed off. Cao Youxue had a vague guess about the era he was living in, but couldn't be certain. Last night, after hearing Cao Ju mention Liu Zhengzhou, he hastily went downstairs early the next morning, sat on the threshold, and casually asked as if unintentionally.

  "Shh!"

  Cao Ju was startled and quickly put down his iron hammer, running to Cao Peng's side, signaling him not to speak rashly.

  "Is Liu Zhengzhou's name something people like us can casually mention?"

  "It's just a name, why is Father so anxious?"

  Cao Peng couldn't help but feel a little skeptical in his heart, and at the same time, he suddenly realized: As I guessed, it was indeed the Three Kingdoms!

  Later generations, a Romance of the Three Kingdoms, was widely known and even women and children knew about it. People often say that one should not read Water Margin at a young age and not read Three Kingdoms when old... Cao Peng certainly could not have been unaware of this classic work, and had more than once thoroughly read various versions of Three Kingdoms works. Men always yearn for the passionate era of iron horses and golden armor, according to Cao Peng's understanding, in history, the person known as Liu Jingzhou seemed to be only Liu Biao.

  But who is General Little Zhang?

  Cao Ju hastily said: "You child, why are you so unreasonable?"

  Liu Jingzhou is a renowned scholar and a relative of the imperial family, how can we common people address him by his name directly? If others hear about it, you'll be charged with disrespect... Peng'er, from now on, be more careful with your words, these days people's hearts are hard to fathom, and there's no way to guess what they're thinking!

  Cao Peng still felt a bit uncomfortable, but seeing the anxious look on his old man's face, he thought for a moment and nodded, indicating that he would pay attention in the future.

  Is this the so-called difference between the common people and the aristocracy?

  Cao Peng thought to himself and subconsciously glanced at Cao Jing who was repairing a hoe.

  Although it is said that the princes and generals are all equal, but this gap between the aristocracy has never truly disappeared. The death of one privileged class is not the birth of another privileged class? People can never be truly equal, no matter now or in the future, they are always the same.

  Thinking of this, Cao Peng couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment and loss of interest.

  He sat stupidly on the threshold, watching Cao Quan sweat like rain, but his thoughts had long since flown to the clouds.

  "Old Cao!"

  A loud voice awakened Cao Peng from his reverie.

  Only then did a burly man in his thirties, with a dark complexion and thick eyebrows, walk into the courtyard from outside. He looked very majestic. Beside this big man was a young boy who was very sturdy and strong, looking like a small tiger.

  In Cao Peng's memory, there were impressions of these two people.

  The elder one was named Wang Meng and was a hunter from Zhongyang Town, while the younger one was called Wang Mai and was very familiar with Cao Peng.

  As a hunter, Wang Meng naturally had to deal with Cao Quan, the blacksmith. Cao Quan's craftsmanship was not particularly good, but he could repair and mend things fairly well. Most importantly, this repair work did not require too much skill, and the cost was not high, making it quite economical.

  As soon as Cao Qu saw Wang Meng, he immediately put down his iron hammer and went forward to greet him.

  "Old Wang, where have you been lately? You haven't come around for some days."

  "Where can I go?"

  Wang Meng said, taking out two animal traps from his pouch, "A few days ago I went to Wuyin and took a trip... Ah yes, I came today to ask for your help in repairing these two traps."

  "Alright, I'll take it from you!"

  Cao Ju took over the two clips and squatted in the yard with Wang Meng, whispering.

  The young Wang Mou ran hastily to Cao Peng's side, "Ah Fu, I heard you're ill?"

  Wang Mai was one of the few playmates of Cao Peng in Zhongyang Town. Firstly, they were close in age, and secondly, Cao Peng's physique was weak, while Wang Mai was very strong. Every time the town's children bullied Cao Peng, Wang Mai would always stand up for him, taking care of Cao Peng like an elder brother.

  For this dead ghost Cao Peng's only friend before his death, Cao Peng had an instinctive kindness.

  Perhaps this feeling is more from Cao Peng's memory... but what's the difference? At least in other people's eyes, Cao Peng is still Cao Peng.

  "Uh, a few days ago I don't know what happened, and suddenly I fainted."

  He hadn't been lying on the couch all this time, only getting up today... He's almost fully recovered now, just a bit dizzy and his legs aren't very strong.

  Wang couldn't help but smile, "You're really too weak, you need to eat more nutritious food."

  "In two days, I'll go into the mountains with Old Dad and hunt some delicious food for you... By then, you'll definitely be able to get stronger, hehe, just like me."

  These words were spoken very simply, and Cao Peng's heart was also warm when he heard them.

  "Wang Mai, you and your dad went to the county town?"

  "Yeah, went to the county town... but there's nothing fun to do, it's just more lively than Zhongyang, that's all."

  "Has anything interesting happened?"

  "Anything interesting?"

  Wang thought for a moment and shook his head: "But I haven't heard of anything interesting."

  He and Wang Meng, father and son, looked alike, the most similar being that pair of thick eyebrows. Wang Meng was born with a pair of horizontal eyebrows that were almost connected together. Wang Mai was the same, especially when he furrowed his brow thinking about things, those two eyebrows would twist together, looking very interesting.

  Cao Peng asked: "I heard that General Xiao Zhang and Liu Jingzhou have formed an alliance?"

  "Oh, this thing..."

  They have formed an alliance for a long time! It's been more than 20 days, I think... I heard that General Zhang and the envoy of Liu Jingzhou formed an alliance in Rang City.

  A Fu, do you know where Rang City is?

  Hehe, if we set out from Zhong Yang, it'll take us several days to get there on horseback. I've heard that General Zhang is extremely formidable, a master of martial arts, and has no equal in the three armies... I've also heard that his marksmanship has reached an extraordinary level. It's just a pity that I haven't seen him before, so I don't know what he looks like."

  "General Zhang, could it be Zhang Heng?"

  Wang looked at Cao Peng in surprise and nodded: "Right! General Zhang is indeed Zhang Chao!"

  "A Fu, what's wrong with you today? I've mentioned these things to you before, but you were never interested. Why are you suddenly asking about them now?"

  Cao Peng was startled and hastily laughed: "I heard my parents talking about them last night, so I asked casually."

  "I told you so, why would you suddenly ask about these things?"

  Wang Mai was a straightforward person and naturally wouldn't suspect Cao Peng.

  "But I heard people say that our side might go to war."

  "Oh?"

  "This time I went to Wuyin and heard from people there that Cao Gong's army had already occupied Yuzhou."

  He is an old man who has followed the Emperor to settle in Xuchang, and he is a pillar of our great Han. I reckon it won't be long before Lord Cao will surely send troops to attack Nanyang."

  "Lord Cao?"

  "It was at the beginning of the year when we welcomed Emperor Cao Gong to move the capital to Xuchang... I think I mentioned this to you before."

  "Uh, I forgot!"

  In the past, Cao Peng was not very aware of external things due to physical reasons. Or it can be said that he belonged to the kind of person who got by and didn't have any great ambitions. At least in Cao Peng's memories, most were trivial matters, not worth mentioning.

  A hint of longing flashed in Wang's eyes.

  He sighed and said in a low voice: "If Cao Gong's army reaches Wu Yin one day, I will definitely join the army."

  "From the army?"

  "Yes, with my abilities, I will definitely become a marquis and a general when the time comes! Ah Fu, at that time, I will ask you to be my military advisor."

  Cao Peng couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, I'll wait for you to come and invite me out of retirement."

  Wang has a bit of an air of 'as long as we're rich and noble, let's not forget each other' grandeur, with great ideals in his heart.

  As for Cao Peng, he seemed to have read some books and recognized some characters. According to his memory, when Cao Peng was a child, there was a Taoist priest living in Zhongyang Town. Cao Peng followed the Taoist priest to learn for a few days, but had to give up halfway due to physical reasons. Not long after that, the Taoist priest left and never heard from again... In these chaotic years, it's possible that he became someone else's soul under the knife.

  But even so, Cao Peng is still considered a literate person.

  In Wang Mai's heart, people who can read are all very capable people...

  "Wang Mai is back home!"

  Wang Meng also finished talking with Cao Quan and stood up to call Wang Mai.

  "Ah Fu, then I'll head back first... I'll come find you again tomorrow."

  Cao Ju sat on the threshold, smiling and nodding his head, seeing off Wang Meng and his son as they walked out of the small courtyard.

  "Little friend, you should also go back inside and rest for a while. The weather is bad, don't catch a cold. Your mother will blame me later..."

  "Got it!"

  Cao Ju nodded in agreement and stood up.

  According to Wang Mao's statement, Cao Cao welcomed the Emperor at the beginning of the year and later fixed his capital in Xuchang.

  It was also in this year that the Han dynasty changed its era name to 'Jian'an'... In the first year of Jian'an, I unexpectedly reincarnated into the Three Kingdoms era 1,800 years ago!

  Cao Peng returned to his room and did not lie down.

  This humble earth house is divided into two rooms. Because he had been unconscious before, so he lived in the small room inside, while Cao Ju and his wife lived in the outer room, convenient to take care of Cao Peng at any time. Generally speaking, Cao Ju's family was not wealthy, but it could not be said that they were destitute either.

  An ordinary family, nothing out of the ordinary.

  Ke Cao Peng however knew that in this turbulent month, probably no one could get peace.

  Nanyang County will soon ignite the flames of war, and when that time comes, this Zhongyang Town will also inevitably be affected by the flames of war, resulting in a scorched earth.

  In such a chaotic world, what else can I do?

  Cao Peng stood inside the small hut, subconsciously clenching his fists, lost in thought...

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  Today is the first day, and I'll upload two chapters for now.

  From now on, there will be at least 6,000 words of updates every day. In the new year, Lao Niu will work hard and please everyone to support more.

  Collecting, recommending, and clicking on whatever, Lao Xin is most fed up with...