曹操：沛国谯郡（今安徽省亳州市）人也。“字孟德。 操父曹嵩，本姓夏侯氏；因为中常侍曹腾之养子，故冒姓曹。曹嵩生操，小字阿瞒，一名吉利。操幼时，好游猎，喜歌舞；有权谋，多机变。操有叔父，见操游荡无度，尝怒之，言于曹嵩。嵩责操。操忽心生一计：
见叔父来，诈倒于地，作中风之状。叔父惊告嵩，嵩急视之，操故无恙。嵩曰：‘叔言汝中风，今已愈乎？’操曰：‘儿自来无此病，因失爱于叔父，故见罔耳。’嵩信其言。后叔父但言操过，嵩并不听。因此，操得恣意放荡……汝南许劭，有知人之名。操往见之，问曰：
‘我何如人？’劭不答。又问，劭曰：‘子治世之能臣，乱世之奸雄也。’操闻言大喜。年二十，举孝廉，为郎，除洛阳北部尉。初到任，即设五色棒十余条于县之四门，有犯禁者，不避豪贵，皆责之。中常侍蹇硕之叔，提刀夜行，操巡夜拿住，就棒责之。由是，内外莫敢犯者，威名颇震。后为顿丘令。因黄巾起，拜为骑都尉，引马步军五千，前来颖川助战。正值张梁、张宝败走，曹操拦住，大杀一阵，斩首万余级，夺得旗罥、金鼓、马匹极多。”
（第一回）“曹操亦以有功，除济南相”（第二回）。“绍与操带剑护送何进至长乐宫前。
黄门传懿旨云：‘太后特宣大将军，余人不许辄入。’将袁绍、曹操等都阻住宫门外。何进昂然直入……袁绍久不见进出，乃于宫门外大叫曰：‘请将军上车！’让等将何进首级从墙上掷出，宣谕曰：‘何进谋反，已伏诛矣！’……袁绍、曹操斩关入内。赵忠、程旷、夏恽、郭胜四常侍被赶至翠花楼前，剁为肉泥。宫中火焰冲天……曹操一面救灭宫中之火，请何太后权摄大事，遣兵追袭张让等，寻觅少帝。”此乃十常侍之乱也。（第三回）
Cao Cao： He is a native of Qiao county at Pei (today’s Bozhou city in Anhui Province)，“his style，Mengde. Cao Cao’s father，Cao Song， was originally not a Cao but a Xiahou. However， as the adopted son ofthe eunuch Cao Teng he assumed the surname Cao. Cao Song was Cao Cao’s natural father. In addition， CaoCao had the childhood nickname Ah Man and another given name， Jili. As a youth Cao had loved the huntand delighted in song and dance. He was a boy with ingenious ideas for any situation， a regular storehouseof schemes and machinations. Once Cao’s uncle， outraged by his nephew’s wild antics， complained to Cao’sfather， who in turn reproached Cao. The next time the boy saw his uncle， he dropped to the ground andpretended to have a fit. The terrified uncle fetched the father， who rushed to his son’s side only to find himperfectly sound.“Your uncle told me you’d had a fit，”said Song.“Has it passed？”“Nothing of thesort ever happened，”responded Cao.“My uncle accuses me of everything because I have lost favor withhim.”The father believed the son and thereafter ignored the uncle’s complaints， leaving Cao free to indulgehis whims... In Runan a man named Xu Shao， known for his insight into human character， refused to give Caoa reading. But pressed repeatedly， the man finally spoke，“You could be an able statesman in a time of peaceor a treacherous villain in a time of chaos.”This prediction pleased Cao immensely. At twenty， Cao receivedhis district’s recommendation for filial devotion and personal integrity， and this led to his initial appointmentto the palace. Later， he was given command of security in the northern half of the district where the capital，Luoyang， was located. On assuming office he had a dozen decorated cudgels placed at the four gates of thecity. They were to be a sign that any violator of the laws， however high or mighty， would be punished. Onenight the uncle of the eunuch Jiao Shuo was seen going through the streets carrying a broadsword. Cao，making his nightly rounds， apprehended him and had one of the bludgeons applied. Thereafter no one daredto break the laws， and Cao Cao’s prestige increased. Later he was made magistrate of Dunqiu. During theYellow Scarves uprisings the court elevated Cao to the rank of cavalry commander， and it was in this capacitythat he led five thousand mounted warriors and foot soldiers to the Yingchuan district. He encountered therouted troops of Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao and cut off their retreat. In the ensuing fray his men took tenthousand heads as well as flags， banners， gongs， drums， and horses in large numbers.”(Chapter 1)“CaoCao’s service， too， was recognized， and he was awarded a fief at Jinan”(Chapter 2).“Yuan Shao and CaoCao strapped on their swords and accompanied He Jin to the gate of the Palace of Lasting Happiness. But theInner Bureau conveyed the Empress’s wish：‘The Empress has summoned only the regent. No one else mayenter.’Yuan Shao and Cao Cao stood barred beyond the outer gate as He Jin marched grandly on， straightinto the palace. ... Having waited for a long time， Yuan Shao shouted at the gate，‘Regent， your carriageis ready！’In response Zhang Rang threw the victim’s head down from the wall.‘He Jin was executed forplotting to overthrow the dynasty！’he cried， ...Yuan Shao and Cao Cao broke into the inner sanctum， drovethe four eunuchs， Zhao Zhong， Cheng Kuang， Yia Yun， and Guo Sheng， to the House of Emerald Flowers，and hacked them to pieces. From the palace building flames sprang skyward. ... Cao Cao managed to quellthe fires and appealed to the queen mother to assume temporary authority. At the same time he sent soldiersafter Zhang Rang and his gang to find Emperor Shao.”This is the violence caused by the eunuchs (Chapter3).
董卓废少帝而立陈留王为献帝后，自为相国，滥用权力，群臣敢怒而不敢言。但曹操却对王允说：“近日操屈身以事卓者，实欲乘间图之耳。今卓颇信操，操因得时近卓。闻司徒有七宝刀一口，愿借与操入相府刺杀之，虽死不恨！”“次日，曹操佩着宝刀，来至相府……见董卓坐于床上，吕布侍立于侧。卓曰：‘孟德来何迟？’操曰：‘马羸行迟耳。’
卓顾谓布曰：‘吾有西凉进来好马，奉先可亲去拣一骑赐与孟德。’……卓胖大不耐久坐，遂倒身而卧，转面向内。操又思曰：‘此贼当休矣！’急掣宝刀在手，恰待要刺，不想董卓仰面看衣镜中，照见曹操在背后拔刀，急回身问曰：‘孟德何为？’时吕布已牵马至阁外。
操惶遽，乃持刀跪下曰：‘操有宝刀一口，献上恩相。’卓接视之，见其刀长尺余，七宝嵌视，极其锋利，果宝刀也；遂递与吕布收了。操解鞘付布。卓引操出阁看马，操谢曰：‘愿借试一骑。’卓就教与鞍辔。操牵马出相府，加鞭望东南而去。布对卓曰：‘适来曹操似有行刺之状，及被喝破，故推献刀。’卓曰：‘吾亦疑之。’……卓遂令遍行文书，画影图形，捉拿曹操：擒献者，赏千金，封万户侯；窝藏者同罪。”此乃“废汉帝陈留践位 / 谋董贼孟德献刀”也。（第四回）
After Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao and enthroned the prince of Chenliu as Emperor Xian， hehimself became prime minister and abused his power. All officials were forced to keep their resentment tothemselves. But Cao Cao said to Wang Yun，‘Recently， I demeaned myself and entered Dong Zhuo’s serviceonly for the chance to move against him. Since he has come to trust me， there are times I can get near him. Ibelieve you have a knife with seven jewels. If you let me borrow it， I will go into his chamber and stab him—for I am prepared to die without regret.”“The next day Cao Cao， the jeweled knife at his side， arrived at theprime minister’s chambers and was shown into his private quarters. Dong Zhuo was seated on a platform， LüBu beside him.‘You’re late today，’said Zhuo.‘My horse was slow，’Cao replied.‘We have some fineones from my district，’said Dong Zhuo.‘Fengxian will go and bring one in for you.’Lü Bu went out...
Dong Zhuo， a large， heavy man， could not comfortably sit for long， so he stretched himself out facing the rearwall. Again Cao Cao thought，‘This traitor is done for，’and was about to strike when Dong Zhuo suddenlylooked into the metal reflector sewn on his clothing and saw the weapon drawn.‘What are you up to，Mengde？’he asked， turning quickly round again. At that moment Lü Bu returned with the horse， and Caodropped shakily to his knees， proferring the knife with both hands.‘I want to offer this treasure in gratitudeto Your Excellency，’he said. Dong Zhuo took the knife. It was about one span long and had seven jewels setin the handle and a finely honed pointed—truly a priceless gift. Dong Zhuo passed it to Lü Bu， as Cao Caountied the scabbard and handed it over. Then Dong Zhuo led Cao out to see the horse.‘Let me ride，’Caoproposed. Dong Zhuo gave him saddle and bridle. Cao guided the horse out of Dong Zhuo’s quarters， laid onthe whip and headed southeast.‘If you ask me，’Lü Bu said to Dong Zhuo，‘Cao meant to murder you butgot scared and made a show of presenting the knife.’‘I had the same thought，’said Dong Zhuo... DongZhuo circulated warrants with a sketch of Cao Cao’s face， offering a thousand pieces of gold and a fief of tenthousand households for his arrest； he appended a warning that anyone caught sheltering the fugitive wouldbe punished as severely as Cao Cao himself.”This is“The Installation of the Chenliu Prince； Emperor ShaoIs Deposed / A Plot Against Traitor Dong； Cao Cao Presents a Jeweled Knife”(Chapter 4).
曹操逃出城外，飞奔家乡谯郡。“遂连夜到陈留，寻见父亲，备说前事； 欲散家资，招募义兵。父言：‘资少恐不成事。此间有孝廉卫弘，疏财仗义，其家巨富；若得相助，事可图矣。’操置酒张筵，拜请卫弘到家……卫弘曰：‘既孟德有大志，愿将家资相助。’操大喜；于是先发矫诏，驰报各道，然后招集义兵，竖起招兵白旗一面，上书‘忠义’二字。不数日间，应募之士，如雨骈集……时袁绍得操矫诏，乃聚麾下文武，引兵三万，离渤海来与曹操会盟。操作檄文以达诸郡……各镇诸侯皆起兵响应……众诸侯亦陆续皆至……操乃宰牛杀马，大会诸侯，商议进兵之策……操曰：‘袁本初四世三公，门多故吏，汉朝名相之裔，可为盟主。’绍再三推辞。众皆曰：‘非本初不可。’绍方应允……袁绍曰：‘绍虽不才，既承公等推为盟主，有功必赏，有罪必罚。’众皆曰：‘惟命是听。’绍曰：‘吾弟袁术总督粮草，应付诸营，无使有缺。更须一人为先锋，直抵汜水关挑战。余各据险要，以为接应。’长沙太守孙坚出曰：‘坚愿为前部。’……众诸侯内有济北相鲍信，寻思孙坚既为前部，怕他夺了头功，暗拨其弟鲍忠，先将马步军三千，径抄小路，直到关下搦战。华雄引铁骑五百，飞下关来，大喝：‘贼将休走！’鲍忠急待退，被华雄手起刀落，斩于马下，生擒将校极多……坚挥军直杀至关前，关上矢石如雨。孙坚引兵回至梁东屯住，使人于袁绍处报捷，就于袁术处催粮。或说术曰：‘孙坚乃江东猛虎；若打破洛阳，杀了董卓，正是除狼而得虎也。今不与粮，彼军必散。’术听之，不发粮草。孙坚军缺食，军中自乱……曹操慧眼识英雄，‘云长停盏施英勇，酒尚温时斩华雄’……‘飞抖擞精神，酣战吕布。连斗五十余合，不分胜负。云长见了，把马一拍，舞八十二斤青龙偃月刀，来夹攻吕布。三匹马丁字儿厮杀。战到三十合，战不倒吕布。刘玄德掣双股剑，骤黄鬃马，刺斜里也来助战。这三个围住吕布，转灯儿般厮杀。八路人马，都看得呆了。吕布架隔遮拦不定……吕布军马望关上奔走；玄德、关、张随后赶来。’真是‘破关兵三英战吕布’！‘若擒了吕布，董卓易诛耳。’（第五回）”“温侯新败，兵无战心。不若引兵回洛阳，迁帝于长安，以应童谣。”（第六回）此乃曹操发矫诏召集众诸侯打败贼臣董卓也。
Cao cao fled the capital and headed for Qiao， his home district.“Later， home in Chenliu， Cao Caorelated the recent event to his father and urged him to contribute the family’s property for the purpose ofrecruiting troops.‘Our means can’t accomplish such a thing，’said his father.‘But Wei Hong lives nearby.
He was recommended for office as a man of filial devotion and personal integrity. He is generous and supportsmen of worth. If you can enlist his aid， your plan may succeed.’Accordingly， Cao Cao invited Wei Hongto a banquet at his home... Wei Hong said，‘Mengde， since you have such ambition， allow me to put theresources of my house at your disposal.’Elated with the response to his appeal， Cao Cao forged a decreein the Emperor’s name， and swift messengers carried it to various points. Next， he recruited volunteers forthe cause and raised a white standard bearing the words‘Loyalty and Honor.’Within days， commitmentsof support came pouring in”...When Yuan Shao received Cao’s forged decree， he gathered his officialsand officers and led a body of thirty thousand from Bohai to form an alliance with Cao Cao. At this time CaoCao sent the following proclamation to the various imperial districts. ... In response to this call the lords ofseventeen military townships mustered their forces... The various lords were arriving one after another... CaoCao slaughtered cattle and horses， feasted the leaders， and convened a war council to consider the next step...
Cao Cao proposed，‘Yuan Shao’s family has held highest office for four generations， and many former officersstill serve them. As the descendant of distinguished ministers， Shao is most fit to lead our confederacy.’Thisview prevailed among the lords， and Yuan Shao， after initially declining， consented to serve... Yuan Shaospoke：‘My unworthiness notwithstanding， you have elected me your chief. In that role I shall reward meritand punish offenders.’The assembly shouted its assent：‘Command， and we obey.’‘My younger brother，Shu，’Shao continued，‘will manage the food and fodder， providing for each camp and ensuring againstshortages. We also need one man to lead the van to the River Si pass and challenge the foe to battle. The restof us will hold the various strategic points and stand ready to reinforce.’Sun Jian， governor of Changsha，offered to take the forward unit... Among the insurgent lords led by Yuan Shao was the lord of Jibei， Bao Xin.
Anxious lest Sun Jian’s vanguard win the highest honors， he secretly sent his brother Bao Zhong ahead tothe pass. Bao Zhong arrived with three thousand men and incited the enemy to battle. Hua Xiong respondedquickly. Racing to the pass with five hundred armored shock cavalry， he shouted，‘Rebel！ Stand whereyou are！’Bao Zhong tried desperately to turn back but fell to a stroke of Hua Xiong’s blade. Many of hiscommanders were taken alive... Sun Jian waved his men on toward the heart of the pass， but they suffered aheavy pelting with stones and arrows and withdrew to Liangdong. Sun Jian sent one messenger to Yuan Shaoto report the victory and another to Yuan Shu for grain. Concerning Sun Jian’s request someone advised YuanShu，‘Sun Jian is the tiger of the east. If he takes the capital and kills Dong Zhuo， we’ll be facing a tigerinstead of a wolf. Deny the grain and watch his army fall apart.’Yuan Shu， persuaded， sent no supplies.
Sun Jian’s men became uncontrollable...Cao Cao’s discerning eyes can tell greatness from mediocrity.‘Thehero put the cup aside to slake his combat lust： Before the wine had time to cool， Hua Xiong lay in thedust.’‘Zhang Fei’s fighting spirit flashed at this welcome chance. The two crossed and tangled more thanfifty times. Lord Guan， seeing that neither could best the other， urged his horse forward and， flourishing hiscrescent-moon blade， Green Dragon， attacked from another side. The three horsemen formed a triangle. Theyfought another thirty bouts， but Lü Bu was unconquerable. Then Xuande， clenching his matching swords，angled into the field on his tawny-maned horse， and the three brothers circled Lü Bu like the figured shadeof a revolving lamp. The warriors of the eight lords stood transfixed. Soon Lü Bu could no longer fend off hisenemies... Lü Bu’s army broke and ran for the pass with the three brothers still leading the pursuit.’It’strue that‘The Three Brothers Engage Lü Bu in Battle’.‘If we can capture Lü Bu， Dong Zhuo will beeasily defeated’(Chapter 5).”“Lü Bu’s recent defeat has demoralized the men. I suggest you recall themto Luoyang and move the Emperor to Chang’an. This would be in keeping with the children’s song.”(Chapter6) This is how“Cao Cao Rallies the Lords with a Forged Decree”to defeat the traitor Dong Zhuo.
曹操来见袁绍曰：‘今董贼西去，正可乘势追袭；本初按兵不动，何也？’绍曰：
‘诸兵疲困，进恐无益。’操曰：‘董贼焚烧宫室，劫迁天子，海内震动，不知所归；此天亡之时也，一战而可定天下矣。诸公何疑而不进？’众诸侯皆言不可轻动。操大怒曰：‘竖子不足与谋！’遂自引兵万余，领夏侯罥、夏侯渊、曹仁、曹洪、李典、乐进，星夜追赶董卓……次日，人报曹操追董卓，战于荥阳，败而回。绍令人接至寨中，会众置酒，与操解闷。饮宴间，操叹曰：‘吾始兴大义，为国除贼……以顺诛逆，可立定也。今迟疑不进，大失天下之望。操窃耻之。’绍等无言可对。既而席散，操见绍等各怀异心，料不能成事，自引军投扬州去了。“（第六回）董贼被杀后，他的余党李罥、郭汜纵兵大掠首都长安。在李、郭之乱期间，“不想青州黄巾又起”，李罥随即草诏，命曹操与济北相鲍信一同破贼。
“曹操领了圣旨，会合鲍信，一同兴兵，击贼于寿阳。鲍信杀入重地，为贼所害。操追赶贼兵，直到济北，降者数万。操即用贼为前驱，兵马到处，无不降顺。不过百余日，招安到降兵三十余万、男女百余万口。操择精锐者，号为‘青州兵’，其余尽令归农。操自此威名日重。捷书报到长安，朝廷加曹操为镇东将军……自是曹操部下文有谋臣，武有猛将，威镇山东。”（第十回）“太尉杨彪奏帝曰：‘前蒙降诏，未曾发遣。今曹操在山东，兵强将盛，可宣入朝，以辅王室。’帝曰：‘朕前既降诏，卿何必再奏，今即差人前去便了。’彪领旨，即差使命赴山东，宣召曹操……操接诏，克日兴师。”此乃“董贼之乱”和为什么曹操被“宣召入朝，以辅王室”（第十四回）。
“Meanwhile Cao Cao came to Yuan Shao and said，‘The traitors’flight offers a perfect opportunityto attack their rear. Why are you holding back？’‘The men are fatigued，’Yuan Shao replied，‘I doubtit would be to our advantage.’‘Dong Zhuo has destroyed the imperial dwellings and abducted theEmperor，’said Cao.‘People everywhere are in shock， uncertain where their allegiances belong. It isthe final hour for this criminal. We can gain control in a single battle. Why wait？’But the leaders of theconfederation， too， were reluctant to act.‘Who can work with such worthless men！’Cao cried angrily.
Attended by only his six commanders—Xiahou Dun， Xiahou Yuan， Cao Ren， Cao Hong， Li Dian， and YueJin—he led some ten thousand men in pursuit of Dong Zhuo... The following day Yuan Shao was informedthat Cao Cao had pursued Dong Zhuo， engaged his forces at Yingyang， and had returned in defeat. Shao’smen met Cao， and Yuan Shao called the lords together and served wine， hoping to hearten Cao Cao. Duringthe repast Cao Cao sighed and said to Yuan Shao，‘When I first rose to our great cause， to which theseloyal lords have rallied， I intended that we， as fighters in the Emperor’s cause， could have swiftly chastisedthose who rose against him. But immobilized by hesitation， we have lost the confidence of the realm， and itmakes me deeply ashamed.’There was no reply Yuan Shao could make， and the assembly adjourned. Theseparate and conflicting ambitions of Yuan Shao and the various lords had shown Cao Cao that they wouldachieve nothing， so he took his troops to Yangzhou (Chapter 6). After the traitor Dong Zhuo was killed， hisadherents Li Jue， Guo Si let their soldiers plunder the capital Chang’an at will. During the period of Li andGuo’s invasion and domination，“unexpectedly， the Yellow Scarves in Qingzhou staged another uprising”.
Li Jue immediately penned an edict authorizing Cao Cao to join forces with Bao Xin， lord of Jibei， for puttingdown the Scarves.“Cao Cao accepted the commission and joined forces with Bao Xin. They attacked theYellow Scarves at Shouyang. Bao Xin forced his way into a strongpoint and was killed. Cao pursued therebels to Jibei， where tens of thousands surrendered to him. Cao placed these former rebels in his vanguard.
Wherever he went， the rebels transferred their allegiance to him. In one hundred days Cao Cao had inducedthe surrender of over three hundred thousand troops and one million non-combatants. He picked the finestof the Yellow Scarves troops and organized them into the Qingzhou army. The remainder he sent back totheir farms. In consequence， Cao Cao’s prestige rose steadily， and the court recognized his triumphs bynaming him General Garrisoning the East.”...“Thus Cao Cao， aided by wise counselors and fierce fighters，made his prestige felt east of the pass.”(Chapter 10)“Grand Commandant Yang Biao appealed to theEmperor，‘The decree with which you honored me has yet to be dispatched. At present Cao Cao has the mostpowerful army in the northeast. He should be summoned to support the royal house.’‘I have so ordered’，said the Emperor.‘A second petition is not necessary. Send someone and be done with it.’In accordancewith the imperial will， an envoy was sent.”...“When the imperial summons arrived， on the appointed dayCao Cao was ready to march.”(Chapter 14) This is the traitor Dong Zhuo’s generals-revolt and why CaoCao“should be summoned to support the royal house”(Chapter 14).