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）

caocao：heisanaiveofqiaocounyapei(oday’sbozhouciyinanhuiprovince)，“hissyle，mengdecaocao’sfaher，caosong，wasoriginallynoacaobuaxiahouhowever，asheadopedsonofheeunuchcaoengheassumedhesurnamecaocaosongwascaocao’snauralfaherinaddiion，caocaohadhechildhoodnicknameahmanandanohergivenname，jiliasayouhcaohadlovedhehunanddelighedinsonganddancehewasaboywihingeniousideasforanysiuaion，aregursorehouseofschemesandmachinaionsoncecao’suncle，ouragedbyhisnephew’swildanics，compinedocao’sfaher，whoinurnreproachedcaoheneximeheboysawhisuncle，hedroppedohegroundandpreendedohaveafiheerrifiedunclefechedhefaher，whorushedohisson’ssideonlyofindhimperfeclysound“youruncleoldmeyou’dhadafi，”saidsong“hasipassed？”“nohingofhesoreverhappened，”respondedcao“myuncleaccusesmeofeveryhingbecauseihavelosfavorwihhim”hefaherbelievedhesonandhereaferignoredheuncle’scompins，leavingcaofreeoindulgehiswhimsinrunanamannamedxushao，knownforhisinsighinohumancharacer，refusedogivecaoareadingbupressedrepeaedly，hemanfinallyspoke，“youcouldbeanablesaesmaninaimeofpeaceorareacherousvilininaimeofchaos”hispredicionpleasedcaoimmenselyaweny，caoreceivedhisdisric’srecommendaionforfilialdevoionandpersonalinegriy，andhisledohisiniialappoinmenohepaceer，hewasgivencommandofsecuriyinhenorhernhalfofhedisricwherehecapial，luoyang，waslocaedonassumingofficehehadadozendecoraedcudgelspcedahefourgaesofheciyheywereobeasignhaanyvioorofhews，howeverhighormighy，wouldbepunishedonenighheuncleofheeunuchjiaoshuowasseengoinghroughhesreescarryingabroadswordcao，makinghisnighlyrounds，apprehendedhimandhadoneofhebludgeonsappliedhereafernoonedaredobreakhews，andcaocao’spresigeincreasederhewasmademagisraeofdunqiuduringheyellowscarvesuprisingshecourelevaedcaooherankofcavalrycommander，andiwasinhiscapaciyhaheledfivehousandmounedwarriorsandfoosoldiersoheyingchuandisricheencouneredherouedroopsofzhangliangandzhangbaoandcuoffheirrereainheensuingfrayhismenookenhousandheadsaswellasfgs，ba

ers，gongs，drums，andhorsesinrgenumbers”(chaper1)“caocao’sservice，oo，wasrecognized，andhewasawardedafiefajinan”(chaper2)“yuanshaoandcaocaosrappedonheirswordsandaccompaniedhejinohegaeofhepaceofsinghappinessbuhei

erbureauconveyedheempress’swish：‘heempresshassummonedonlyheregennooneelsemayener’yuanshaoandcaocaosoodbarredbeyondheouergaeashejinmarchedgrandlyon，sraighinohepacehavingwaiedforalongime，yuanshaoshouedahegae，‘regen，yourcarriageisready！’inresponsezhangranghrewhevicim’sheaddownfromhewall‘hejinwasexecuedforploingooverhrowhedynasy！’hecried，yuanshaoandcaocaobrokeinohei

ersancum，drovehefoureunuchs，zhaozhong，chengkuang，yiayun，andguosheng，ohehouseofemeraldflowers，andhackedhemopiecesfromhepacebuildingfmessprangskywardcaocaomanagedoquellhefiresandappealedohequeenmoheroassumeemporaryauhoriyahesameimehesensoldiersaferzhangrangandhisgangofindemperorshao”hisisheviolencecausedbyheeunuchs(chaper3)

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）

aferdongzhuodeposedemperorshaoandenhronedheprinceofchenliuasemperorxian，hehimselfbecameprimeminiserandabusedhispowerallofficialswereforcedokeepheirresenmenohemselvesbucaocaosaidowangyun，‘recenly，idemeanedmyselfandenereddongzhuo’sserviceonlyforhechanceomoveagainshimsincehehascomeorusme，hereareimesicangenearhimibelieveyouhaveaknifewihsevenjewelsifyoulemeborrowi，iwillgoinohischamberandsabhim—foriampreparedodiewihouregre”“henexdaycaocao，hejeweledknifeahisside，arrivedaheprimeminiser’schambersandwasshowninohisprivaequarersdongzhuowasseaedonapform，lububesidehim‘you’reeoday，’saidzhuo‘myhorsewasslow，’caoreplied‘wehavesomefineonesfrommydisric，’saiddongzhuo‘fengxianwillgoandbringoneinforyou’lubuwenou

dongzhuo，arge，heavyman，couldnocomforablysiforlong，sohesrechedhimselfoufacingherearwallagaincaocaohough，‘hisraiorisdonefor，’andwasabouosrikewhendongzhuosuddenlylookedinohemealreflecorsewnonhisclohingandsawheweapondrawn‘whaareyouupo，mengde？’heasked，urningquicklyroundagainahamomenlubureurnedwihhehorse，andcaodroppedshakilyohisknees，proferringheknifewihbohhands‘iwanoofferhisreasureingraiudeoyourexcellency，’hesaiddongzhuoookheknifeiwasabouonespanlongandhadsevenjewelsseinhehandleandafinelyhonedpoined—rulyapricelessgifdongzhuopassediolubu，ascaocaouniedhescabbardandhandedioverhendongzhuoledcaoouoseehehorse‘lemeride，’caoproposeddongzhuogavehimsaddleandbridlecaoguidedhehorseouofdongzhuo’squarers，idonhewhipandheadedsouheas‘ifyouaskme，’lubusaidodongzhuo，‘caomeanomurderyoubugoscaredandmadeashowofpreseningheknife’‘ihadhesamehough，’saiddongzhuodongzhuocircuedwarranswihaskechofcaocao’sface，offeringahousandpiecesofgoldandafiefofenhousandhouseholdsforhisarres；heappendedawarninghaanyonecaughsheleringhefugiivewouldbepunishedasseverelyascaocaohimself”hisis“heinsalionofhechenliuprince；emperorshaoisdeposedaploagainsraiordong；caocaopresensajeweledknife”(chaper4)

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。

caocaofledhecapialandheadedforqiao，hishomedisric“er，homeinchenliu，caocaoreedherecenevenohisfaherandurgedhimoconribuehefamily’sproperyforhepurposeofrecruiingroops‘ourmeanscan’accomplishsuchahing，’saidhisfaher‘buweihonglivesnearby

hewasrecommendedforofficeasamanoffilialdevoionandpersonalinegriyheisgenerousandsupporsmenofworhifyoucanenlishisaid，yourpnmaysucceed’accordingly，caocaoinviedweihongoabanqueahishomeweihongsaid，‘mengde，sinceyouhavesuchambiion，allowmeopuheresourcesofmyhouseayourdisposal’eedwihheresponseohisappeal，caocaoforgedadecreeinheemperor’sname，andswifmessengerscarriediovariouspoinsnex，herecruiedvoluneersforhecauseandraisedawhiesandardbearinghewords‘loyalyandhonor’wihindays，commimensofsupporcamepouringin”whenyuanshaoreceivedcao’sforgeddecree，hegaheredhisofficialsandofficersandledabodyofhiryhousandfrombohaioformanalliancewihcaocaoahisimecaocaosenhefollowingprocmaionohevariousimperialdisricsinresponseohiscallhelordsofseveneenmiliaryownshipsmuseredheirforceshevariouslordswerearrivingoneaferanohercaocaosugheredcaleandhorses，feasedheleaders，andconvenedawarcounciloconsiderhenexsep

caocaoproposed，‘yuanshao’sfamilyhasheldhighesofficeforfourgeneraions，andmanyformerofficerssillservehemashedescendanofdisinguishedminisers，shaoismosfioleadourconfederacy’hisviewprevailedamonghelords，andyuanshao，aferiniiallydeclining，consenedoserveyuanshaospoke：‘myunworhinessnowihsanding，youhaveelecedmeyourchiefinharoleishallrewardmeriandpunishoffenders’heassemblyshouedisassen：‘command，andweobey’‘myyoungerbroher，shu，’shaoconinued，‘willmanagehefoodandfodder，providingforeachcampandensuringagainsshorageswealsoneedonemanoleadhevanoheriversipassandchallengehefoeobaleheresofuswillholdhevarioussraegicpoinsandsandreadyoreinforce’sunjian，governorofchangsha，offeredoakeheforwarduniamongheinsurgenlordsledbyyuanshaowashelordofjibei，baoxin

anxiouslessunjian’svanguardwinhehigheshonors，hesecrelysenhisbroherbaozhongaheadohepassbaozhongarrivedwihhreehousandmenandinciedheenemyobalehuaxiongrespondedquicklyracingohepasswihfivehundredarmoredshockcavalry，heshoued，‘rebel！sandwhereyouare！’baozhongrieddesperaelyournbackbufelloasrokeofhuaxiong’sbdemanyofhiscommanderswereakenalivesunjianwavedhismenonowardhehearofhepass，buheysufferedaheavypelingwihsonesandarrowsandwihdrewoliangdongsunjiansenonemessengeroyuanshaooreporhevicoryandanoheroyuanshuforgrainconcerningsunjian’srequessomeoneadvisedyuanshu，‘sunjianisheigerofheeasifheakeshecapialandkillsdongzhuo，we’llbefacingaigerinseadofawolfdenyhegrainandwachhisarmyfallapar’yuanshu，persuaded，sennosupplies

sunjian’smenbecameunconrolblecaocao’sdiscerningeyescanellgreanessfrommediocriy‘heheropuhecupasideoskehiscombalus：beforehewinehadimeocool，huaxiongyinhedus’‘zhangfei’sfighingspirifshedahiswelcomechancehewocrossedandangledmorehanfifyimeslordguan，seeinghaneihercouldbesheoher，urgedhishorseforwardand，flourishinghiscrescenmoonbde，greendragon，aackedfromanohersidehehreehorsemenformedariangleheyfoughanoherhirybous，bulubuwasunconquerablehenxuande，clenchinghismachingswords，angledinohefieldonhisawnymanedhorse，andhehreebroherscircledlubulikehefiguredshadeofarevolvingmphewarriorsofheeighlordssoodransfixedsoonlubucouldnolongerfendoffhisenemieslubu’sarmybrokeandranforhepasswihhehreebroherssillleadinghepursui’i’srueha‘hehreebrohersengagelubuinbale’‘ifwecancapurelubu，dongzhuowillbeeasilydefeaed’(chaper5)”“lubu’srecendefeahasdemoralizedhemenisuggesyourecallhemoluoyangandmoveheemperorochang’anhiswouldbeinkeepingwihhechildren’ssong”(chaper6)hisishow“caocaorallieshelordswihaforgeddecree”odefeaheraiordongzhuo

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）。

“meanwhilecaocaocameoyuanshaoandsaid，‘heraiors’flighoffersaperfecopporuniyoaackheirrearwhyareyouholdingback？’‘hemenarefaigued，’yuanshaoreplied，‘idoubiwouldbeoouradvanage’‘dongzhuohasdesroyedheimperialdwellingsandabducedheemperor，’saidcao‘peopleeverywhereareinshock，uncerainwhereheirallegiancesbelongiishefinalhourforhiscriminalwecangainconrolinasinglebalewhywai？’buheleadersofheconfederaion，oo，wererelucanoac‘whocanworkwihsuchworhlessmen！’caocriedangrily

aendedbyonlyhissixcommanders—xiahoudun，xiahouyuan，caoren，caohong，lidian，andyuejin—heledsomeenhousandmeninpursuiofdongzhuohefollowingdayyuanshaowasinformedhacaocaohadpursueddongzhuo，engagedhisforcesayingyang，andhadreurnedindefeashao’smenmecao，andyuanshaocalledhelordsogeherandservedwine，hopingohearencaocaoduringherepascaocaosighedandsaidoyuanshao，‘whenifirsroseoourgreacause，owhichheseloyallordshaverallied，iinendedhawe，asfighersinheemperor’scause，couldhaveswiflychasisedhosewhoroseagainshimbuimmobilizedbyhesiaion，wehavelosheconfidenceofherealm，andimakesmedeeplyashamed’herewasnoreplyyuanshaocouldmake，andheassemblyadjournedheseparaeandconflicingambiionsofyuanshaoandhevariouslordshadshowncaocaohaheywouldachievenohing，soheookhisroopsoyangzhou(chaper6)aferheraiordongzhuowaskilled，hisadherenslijue，guosileheirsoldiersplunderhecapialchang’anawillduringheperiodofliandguo’sinvasionanddominaion，“unexpecedly，heyellowscarvesinqingzhousagedanoheruprising”

lijueimmediaelype

edanedicauhorizingcaocaoojoinforceswihbaoxin，lordofjibei，forpuingdownhescarves“caocaoaccepedhecommissionandjoinedforceswihbaoxinheyaackedheyellowscarvesashouyangbaoxinforcedhiswayinoasrongpoinandwaskilledcaopursuedherebelsojibei，whereensofhousandssurrenderedohimcaopcedheseformerrebelsinhisvanguard

whereverhewen，herebelsransferredheirallegianceohiminonehundreddayscaocaohadinducedhesurrenderofoverhreehundredhousandroopsandonemillionnoncombaanshepickedhefinesofheyellowscarvesroopsandorganizedheminoheqingzhouarmyheremainderhesenbackoheirfarmsinconsequence，caocao’spresigeroseseadily，andhecourrecognizedhisriumphsbynaminghimgeneralgarrisoningheeas”“huscaocao，aidedbywisecounselorsandfiercefighers，madehispresigefeleasofhepass”(chaper10)“grandcommandanyangbiaoappealedoheemperor，‘hedecreewihwhichyouhonoredmehasyeobedispachedapresencaocaohashemospowerfularmyinhenorheasheshouldbesummonedosupporheroyalhouse’‘ihavesoordered’，saidheemperor‘asecondpeiionisnonecessarysendsomeoneandbedonewihi’inaccordancewihheimperialwill，anenvoywassen”“whenheimperialsummonsarrived，onheappoineddaycaocaowasreadyomarch”(chaper14)hisisheraiordongzhuo’sgeneralsrevolandwhycaocao“shouldbesummonedosupporheroyalhouse”(chaper14)