The words had barely left his mouth when He Xian regretted them.
Ancient times were not like the present, where a person had a surname, a given name, a courtesy name, and sometimes even a pseudonym. Directly calling someone by their given name was a form of disrespect, let alone him shouting 'Fatty Dong' at Dong Zhuo. In an era where insulting vocabulary was scarce, such an address was practically equivalent to cursing in the streets, almost openly declaring a life-or-death feud with Dong Zhuo.
He Xian believed the words he had blurted out weren't very loud. But no matter how soft, they were heard by the cavalry commander who had already arrived beside him.
This made the situation even worse.
If the newcomer was a die-hard loyalist of Dong Zhuo, He Xian would likely be cut in two in the next instant.
However, when He Xian and that cavalry commander inadvertently made eye contact, both of their faces suddenly showed expressions of shock and exasperation. The only difference was that He Xian's face showed more shock, while the cavalry commander's showed more confusion and exasperation.
The arriving cavalry commander could be said to be somewhat unremarkable in appearance, and his stature was not particularly imposing, though he was fully armored. Compared to the flamboyant and shiny Dong Huang, his attire still seemed quite plain.
At this moment, he held a long lance upside down in his right hand, his left hand gripping the reins, while his face feigned complete ignorance of what He Xian had just said. However, his pair of very wise and lively eyes were fixed unblinkingly on He Xian with a strange intensity.
He Xian's expression then became rather exaggerated, as he was now gaping with his mouth open, unable to close it. His right hand was also pointing quite rudely at the cavalry commander as he exclaimed excitedly, "You... aren't you...?"
"Young Master, less talk of old times! I, Cao, am now the Xiaogi Commandant of the imperial court. I must carry out my official duties impartially. Do not overthink things!" Seeing that He Xian was about to point out their acquaintance, the mounted knight immediately cut him off with a sharp reprimand.
He Xian, being a man of considerable intelligence, immediately changed his tune upon hearing this. He put on an expression of furious indignation and shouted, "You, Cao Cao! You shameless scoundrel! Return my family's Zhao Huang Feidian to me at once!"
He Xian's shout instantly drew the gaze of everyone present to Cao Cao's mount. Only then did everyone notice that while Cao Cao might be unremarkable in appearance, the steed beneath him was exceptionally magnificent!
That warhorse was pure white all over, its form tall and majestic. Its long, powerful limbs moved with a grace that made its smooth, vibrant skin flow like winter snow. Its mane, shining in the sunlight, flew like ten thousand strands of silk, and its proud eyes seemed to look down on everyone present.
Most striking were the yellow, lightning-like marks on the warhorse's four hooves. This clear marking undoubtedly revealed the horse's identity: Zhao Huang Feidian.
The reason this horse ended up beneath Cao Cao was because it was a gift from He Jin.
It must be said that He Xian's nominal father, He Jin, though of humble origins and lacking in wisdom, was disciplined, rigorous, diligent in public service, and lived without the extravagant excesses of previous Grand Commandants. Especially in employing talent, he boldly promoted and carefully nurtured them, truly kind-hearted.
Back when the Yellow Turban Rebellion erupted, the Cao family pulled strings to secure Cao Cao the position of Cavalry Commandant, leading local militia recruited from the Sili region to aid Huangfu Song. When mustering troops and receiving orders at Duting, Grand Commandant He Jin, hearing that Cao Cao was heading to the front lines to fight, brought out his own mount, Zhao Huang Feidian, and gifted it to Cao Cao.
From then on, He Jin could be considered to have formed a connection with Cao Cao. Later, when He Jin followed Yuan Shao's plan to summon troops from all sides to pressure the Eunuchs, Cao Cao once earnestly advised He Jin, saying: "The office of Eunuchs has existed since ancient times, but sovereigns should not grant them excessive power and favor, leading to this state. To punish their crimes, executing the ringleaders is enough; a single prison official would suffice. Why go to the trouble of summoning outside troops? If you intend to exterminate them all, the matter will surely be exposed. I foresee your failure."
From Cao Cao's words of regret and urgency, it can be seen that while he was extremely dissatisfied with He Jin's foolish move, there was more a sense of heartfelt regret.
Furthermore, judging from the fact that Dong Huang had caused such a prolonged disturbance at the General's residence without any reaction from He Jin's former subordinates, and Cao Cao was the only one to appear, he had clearly rushed over to save He Xian—it could be said that at this moment, Cao Cao was completely He Xian's ally.
And historically, this was indeed the case.
After the He family completely lost power, they were hounded into obscurity in Luoyang by Dong Zhuo. The only surviving bloodline was the posthumous child in the womb of He Xian's wife, Lady Yin. The reason Lady Yin, a weak woman, managed to survive and give birth to He Yan was because she received Cao Cao's protection—well, Cao Cao took Lady Yin, this married woman, as his concubine, and later even became He Yan's nominal stepfather...
Wait, something seems off.
Where's my wife?
Only now did He Xian panic. It wasn't until he saw Cao Cao that he suddenly remembered he had never seen his wife, Lady Yin, since crossing over. Moreover, from the memories of this body, he learned that he wasn't even married yet!
What in the world is going on?
Was the great being who sent me here mentally twisted, condemning me to a life of singlehood even in this era of multiple wives? Or was he merciful, sparing me the awkwardness of becoming a father immediately upon crossing over?
After all, while this body is He Xian's, the He Yan in Lady Yin's womb can't be considered entirely mine... Also, having to become a dad right after crossing over would feel pretty weird too.
Thinking about it carefully, this might not be so bad?
He Xian scratched his head, suddenly feeling everything before him was a bit chaotic. After all, the danger hadn't passed yet, and here he was letting his thoughts run wild. His mind was really wandering too far.
"Young Master, I, Cao, have said that I am here on official business. Do not stir up more trouble here!" The look of surprise and suspicion on Cao Cao's face deepened, but reacting quickly, he feigned anger again, his long lance pointing slightly at He Xian.
Of course, Cao Cao was just putting on a show. Not only was He Xian, who knew the relationship between Cao Cao and the He family, unafraid, but even the anonymous warrior standing by, always ready for action, sensed not a shred of killing intent from Cao Cao and didn't move a muscle.
But Dong Huang didn't see it that way. Seeing that reinforcements had arrived for him, he immediately became cocky and arrogant again. Rising to his feet and drawing his sword, he pointed at He Xian, striding forward while shouting, "He Xian, you're scared now, aren't you? My uncle summoning you means he intends to eradicate your He family root and branch!"
He Xian, currently irritated and confused, seeing this fool Dong Huang courting death again, immediately gave a meaningful glance to the anonymous warrior.
The anonymous warrior was indeed the kind of sharp and daring excellent bodyguard. As soon as Dong Huang entered his attack range, he instantly stepped forward and grabbed him. Dong Huang didn't even have time to swing his sword before the anonymous warrior twisted his arm and pinned him underfoot.
He Xian, now emboldened by having powerful backing, stepped forward and kicked the half-kneeling Dong Huang twice, cursing as he kicked: "You pig-brained idiot! Use your head! If Fatty Dong... er, Lord Dong truly wanted to wipe out my He family, would he have sent Commandant Cao to summon me? He would secretly find a scapegoat to eliminate me quietly. Instead, you, as Lord Dong's nephew, openly lead troops to rampage through the General's residence. You're utterly useless and only cause more trouble!"
He Xian was both angry and furious at this moment, and the two kicks he delivered showed no mercy. After all, he had just been ready to kill Dong Huang, but that damned underworld system didn't support it. Now that Cao Cao had arrived, he had even less opportunity. Seething with pent-up frustration, Dong Huang delivered himself to his doorstep. He Xian really had to thank Dong Huang's ancestors for eight generations.
However, Cao Cao, left hanging on the side, now felt awkward. Watching He Xian beat Dong Huang, before Cao Cao could even react, the elite troops following him instantly assumed combat stances. The crossbowmen at the front even raised their sharp crossbows, aiming them at He Xian.
The sound of crossbows being cocked finally snapped Cao Cao out of it. He immediately raised his hand sharply, signaling his soldiers not to act rashly. Then, he spurred Zhao Huang Feidian forward to play the good guy, placing his lance between He Xian and Dong Huang, and shouted, "Young Master, this man is Lord Dong's nephew. Do you harbor dissatisfaction with the Minister of Works?"
'Not just dissatisfied, I want to kick that dead fatty to death!' He Xian roared wildly in his heart, but his face wore an expression of righteous indignation. He even took the opportunity to kick Dong Huang once more before speaking: "Commandant Cao misunderstands. Lord Dong pacified the internal strife in Luoyang and is a meritorious servant of the Han Dynasty. My late father, knowing this from the springs below, would surely be comforted. What I detest are fools like this who fail to grasp the bigger picture and smear the Minister of Works's reputation. Such scoundrels won't learn their lesson unless they're taught a lesson!"
The astonishment on Cao Cao's face grew even thicker now. He had certainly met He Xian before. In his memory, He Xian had always been that gentle, refined, scholarly type—the standard official's son of the han dynasty, educated to be as meek and weak as the current literati after his father rose to prominence.
But he never expected that this He Xian before him was not only fierce but also exceptionally sharp-tongued. Especially his deduction, based solely on Cao Cao's arrival, that Dong Zhuo wouldn't openly eradicate the He family, demonstrated the keen insight of a seasoned, calculating politician.
At this moment, he found this He Xian increasingly unfathomable.