A month after a new wine banner went up at the rundown tavern outside Xuchang, its regular, young Cao, came by again. He entered with a furrowed brow and said an elder in his clan had decided he should make a trip to Ye City. I lowered my head and added a spoonful of freshly opened unfiltered wine to his bowl without replying. At that moment, Cao Cao was moving Emperor Xian of Han to Xudu, and Ye City was Yuan Shao's territory. He finished his bowl, wiped his mouth, and said he wanted two more jugs to take with him. As I turned to fetch the wine from the back, I noticed that the saber at his waist was new, its copper fittings gleaming. He didn't give many details, only saying he would set out tomorrow. When I handed him the wine jars, I asked if he had gotten his travel permit. He laughed and said he had an acquaintance at the local office who would help arrange it. Only after he had ridden off did I return inside and pull out the old map propping up one corner of the table to check the direction of Ye City. This journey was probably about more than just him.
