"Swish, swish, swish."
The sound of breaking air followed one after another, and countless daggers, arrows, and other projectiles flew in simultaneously.
Luo Jun was unharmed, but Cheng Yu was struck by an arrow.
Blood flowed down his arm, yet he still shouted, "Commander Dian, guards, protect Prime Minister Luo!"
This...
Luo Jun's eyes narrowed. The crimson blood on Cheng Yu's arm was not fake.
If all of this was a deliberate ambush by Cheng Yu, then why was it so real? And why did the arrow precisely strike Cheng Yu's shoulder?
Moreover, Luo Jun recognized these arrows... they were clearly Yuan Shu's black-feathered arrows. Chen State and Huainan were so close; he had this much discernment.
Had Yuan Shu finally taken this step?
At this moment, Luo Jun's heart was filled with doubt...
But if he were to believe the Yin-Yang School's Lu Yu's prediction of "a destined calamity," he... he absolutely could not believe it.
"Damn it, you brats, come on, come on..."
Dian Wei raised his gauntlets, facing over ten black-clad "assassins" alone...
He roared, directly charging into the fray against these dozens of black-clad assassins, Dian Wei showing no mercy...
Once upon a time, he was the martial arts instructor of the Dragon Mighty Camp, and these subordinates had grown up under his fists. If they couldn't withstand his punches, they would have long since been expelled from the Dragon Mighty Camp!
These assassins were all too familiar with his fists.
At the same time, Luo Jun's subordinates joined the battle, but they were no match for the black-clad assassins. They resisted for not long before falling either dead or unconscious.
Only now did Luo Jun realize that this was not a drill; this was for real! Someone truly wanted to take his life!
"Mr. Cheng... Mr. Cheng, let's... let's get out of here quickly!"
Using Dian Wei's cover...
Luo Jun grabbed Cheng Yu and prepared to flee.
"We cannot!" Cheng Yu quickly advised. "Since they intend to assassinate Strategist Luo, the city must already be in chaos... Leaving now would be no different than walking into a trap!"
"Then..." Luo Jun was momentarily speechless. Cheng Yu's words made sense.
But... even if there was an assassination attempt, he couldn't believe that the city was already in chaos.
Just then.
"Report... Report to the Prime Minister."
Dozens of civil officials from Chen State rushed in from outside the door. They had previously gone to the Prime Minister's residence but could not find him. Upon asking the gatekeeper, they learned that Luo Jun was in this wine shop, and they rushed here immediately.
They then saw Dian Wei fighting alone against over ten black-clad assassins...
Four or five black-clad assassins had been beaten down, and Dian Wei was not faring well either. His arms and shoulders were covered in bloodstains, clearly... he had also been cut by a dagger.
The entire scene was incredibly real.
Seeing these civil officials arrive, panting, Luo Jun's heart was struck by a sense of foreboding.
He quickly asked:
"What's going on? Has... has there been any change!"
"Prime Minister... this is bad." The leading civil official was breathless, but he tried his best to enunciate every word clearly.
"Zhang Kai... that scoundrel Zhang Kai pretended to surrender, and he... he assassinated the ruler at the south city gate!"
"These... these are all Yuan Shu's treacherous schemes. The entire south city gate has fallen into chaos, complete chaos."
The civil official's face was pale...
Tears welled up in his eyes, clearly showing the great impact of the Chen State ruler's death on him.
And the scene before him proved that not only was the ruler assassinated, but assassins had also deliberately targeted the Prime Minister.
Fortunately... fortunately, that burly man intercepted the assassins, thus preserving the Prime Minister's life.
Otherwise... otherwise, Chen State would surely fall into great chaos.
Chen State might perish in an instant!
"Prime Minister, that scoundrel Yuan Shu, he... he had already subverted three of our departmental generals beforehand. Now... the entire situation in Chen State is in turmoil, and the entire south city is filled with shouts of killing and cries of agony..."
"The rebels and Yuan's army have already... already controlled the south city! Prime Minister... now, now only you can take charge and turn the tide."
That's right...
Besides the ruler Liu Chong, the pillar of Chen State was Prime Minister Luo Jun.
He was also... the person trusted by the entire Chen State army and people.
Now, the only fortunate thing amidst the misfortune is that Luo Jun is still alive. This... this is hope, the hope for Chen State to quell this disaster.
Hoo...
At this moment, with all these matters laid bare before him, Luo Jun let out a long sigh. He truly wanted to slap himself.
Just now...
If it weren't for Cheng Yu, if it weren't for this strong man behind Mr. Cheng, he, Luo Jun, would have likely lost his head.
He... he had even suspected Mr. Cheng. He was truly blind and deserved to die!
Following this line of thought, Luo Jun continued to ponder.
Now, the situation had become clear. Yuan Shu the scoundrel had plotted to kill him and the ruler through despicable means such as assassination and ambush, and had already achieved half of his goal.
The ruler Liu Chong had already perished...
Then, was the prediction of Lu Yu, the descendant of the Yin-Yang School, Lu Sinong, whom Mr. Cheng mentioned, true?
Then, were Cheng Yu and Dian Wei sent by Lu Sinong specifically to warn him? To protect him?
Thinking of this, Luo Jun gasped.
He suddenly thought of many things, even the story Mr. Cheng had told earlier.
If... if he had truly been assassinated today, then... wasn't his son only eight years old at the time?
Perhaps... perhaps...
At this moment, Luo Jun could not yet fathom that he was wearing a cuckold's hat.
However, at this juncture, he was certain that Cheng Yu, Lu Yu, and this strong warrior were friends, not enemies.
"Mr. Cheng... Mr. Cheng, what... what should we do now?" Luo Jun grabbed Cheng Yu's shoulder, pulling tightly, which aggravated Cheng Yu's wound.
A piercing pain swept through him.
But Cheng Yu remained silent, gritting his teeth, and continued, "Prime Minister Luo, do you have any generals in the city whom you can trust?"
"Yes!" Luo Jun's tone was firm. "Among the generals of the seven departments, four are sworn brothers. If I can find them, then..."
"Is that so... then there is only..." Cheng Yu's eyes narrowed, about to speak...
At this moment, Dian Wei had repelled the attacking black-clad assassins and had retrieved a letter from the sleeve of one of them.
"Sima Cheng," Dian Wei said, taking the lead and handing the letter to Cheng Yu.
Cheng Yu didn't even look at it, immediately passing it to Luo Jun. "This is Chen State, and everything must be decided by the Prime Minister! The letter naturally needs to be reviewed by the Prime Minister first."
Luo Jun's heart trembled. He quickly opened the letter. It stated Yuan Shu's mission to these assassins and the rewards promised to them.
The mission section clearly bore his name, Luo Jun.
Even more terrifying was that Yuan Shu seemed to fear that others wouldn't know that it was he, the Emperor of the Zhong family, who had issued the order!
The letter repeatedly referred to himself as "the Zhong family," and at the end, it was sealed with the Imperial Seal – "Mandated by Heaven, Everlasting Prosperity!"
Thus...
All the events of today, when combined, made sense.
Hmph... Yuan Gonglu, you damn bastard, Luo Jun blurted out involuntarily.
Yuan Shu's subordinate Zhang Kai pretended to surrender and assassinated the ruler;
He, the Prime Minister of Chen State, was attacked in a wine shop;
Coupled with this letter bearing "Mandated by Heaven, Everlasting Prosperity," and the current chaotic situation in Chen State, hoo... Luo Jun let out a long sigh. At this moment, he hated Yuan Shu to the bone.
"Mr. Cheng, what were you about to say?" Luo Jun continued to ask Cheng Yu...
At this moment, the people he trusted most were only Cheng Yu and that majestic fierce general.
"The urgent task is to fight our way out, allow the Prime Minister to rendezvous with several generals in the north of the city, combine our forces, and then advance south to quell the chaos in Chen State in one fell swoop."
Cheng Yu suggested...
In fact, at this juncture, he could have proactively mentioned requesting reinforcements from Cao Cao and Xu Du.
However... fearing that Luo Jun might overthink it, Cheng Yu did not say so.
Or rather, the meticulous Cheng Yu preferred... for Luo Jun to proactively mention requesting aid.
"Alright, alright..." Luo Jun nodded repeatedly. "Then... then I'll trouble this general under Mr. Cheng to lead the way!"
Cheng Yu nodded... his eyes looking towards Dian Wei.
At this moment, Dian Wei was tearing a piece of cloth from his trousers to wrap his injured area, and did not forget to answer:
"Oh! My young master told me to protect you, and I will protect you. Don't worry, you won't die before I do."
This...
Luo Jun was touched. Of course, he could understand Lu Yu's purpose in sending someone to protect him.
To put it bluntly, Lu Yu did not want Chen State to fall into the hands of the false emperor Yuan Shu.
But... so what?
Lu Yu saved his life and preserved the last glimmer of hope for Chen State in the current situation; this was an undeniable fact.
In fact, Luo Jun was clear-headed at this moment. The ruler of Chen State was dead. Even if he stepped forward to quell this disaster, Chen State would inevitably be severely weakened and could no longer independently resist Yuan Shu's next fiercer attack.
It was almost a certainty that Luo Jun would lead the Chen State army and people to surrender to Cao Cao...
Thinking of this, Luo Jun bowed to Cheng Yu. "I trouble Mr. Cheng to send a pigeon message to Xu Du posthaste... to inform them of the current situation in Chen State, and request the court and Commander Cao to send troops to our aid... to jointly resist the false emperor!"
This...
Cheng Yu was slightly stunned. He had not expected to gain Luo Jun's trust so easily. It seemed much simpler than anticipated!
And they, apart from shedding a little blood, their acting was not particularly outstanding.
However, it seemed that such acting, when combined with Yuan Shu's clumsy scheme, yielded remarkable results.
Ultimately, this credit still had to be attributed to Young Master Lu for seeing through Emperor Yuan Shu's plot!
"Prime Minister Luo, you should think clearly." Cheng Yu specifically asked again, "I came to save the Prime Minister only on the orders of Mr. Lu, and I do not wish for Chen State to fall into the hands of villains. But if... if Prime Minister Luo truly decides to surrender, then..."
Before Cheng Yu could finish speaking.
"Mr. Cheng, you need not say more..." Luo Jun waved his hand repeatedly. "My life was saved by Mr. Cheng, by Young Master Lu, and by this strong warrior. Chen State still has room for maneuverability, thanks to Mr. Cheng, Young Master Lu, and this strong warrior! Since you belong to Commander Cao, Chen State will henceforth obey Commander Cao's orders!"
Having said this, Luo Jun paused and continued, "Moreover... Commander Cao has the true Son of Heaven behind him. The ruler of Chen State is a member of the imperial family, so how could he not be loyal? How could he not fight to the death to eliminate that Zhong family remnant, that false emperor!"
"I hope Mr. Cheng will inform Commander Cao of my, Luo Jun's, and the Chen State army and people's attitude when you write the letter... hoping for his swift reinforcement!"
Whoa...
Was this considered... the mission completed?
Cheng Yu felt a moment of melancholy!
But... this trace of melancholy only appeared for a moment.
The immediate priority was that the situation was not optimistic, and they had to quell the rebellion in Chen State, at least until Cao's army arrived!
Of course... in reality, the current situation was much more optimistic than Cheng Yu had imagined.
Because Huang Zhong and Cao Anmin shooting Zhang Kai was an unexpected bonus.
With the rebel and Yuan armies leaderless, and out of caution, they only controlled the south city and did not dare to invade the north city in large numbers. This left some room for maneuver.
Similarly...
This rebellion, because of the survival of one person, "Luo Jun," and the death of one person, "Zhang Kai"!
The outcome was already decided.
Of course...
As they walked out of the wine shop, along the way, Cheng Yu and Luo Jun heard rumors from fleeing civilians.
It seemed...
The south city had become a Shura field, with corpses everywhere and blood everywhere.
Civilians scrambled to hide in the north city. Even though the wind was biting cold, and they hadn't even had time to pack their gold and silver belongings, it was clear that only by hiding in the north city was there hope.
Because their Prime Minister Luo Jun was not dead...
And this was hope!
At the same time, four loyal legions arrived at the north city, joining forces.
Under the command of Luo Jun and Cheng Yu, they launched a full-scale attack on the rebels and Yuan's army...
Concurrently, several carrier pigeons flew out of Chen State, carrying the hope of the elders and common people of Chen State, heading rapidly towards Xu Du City.
...
...
Xu Du City, Sikong Mansion.
For several days, Cao Cao had been in seclusion... Cao De was worried. Similarly, many civil and military officials had requested him to persuade his elder brother to hold a military council and to defeat the rebels.
Today, Cao De specifically went to the study to see Cao Cao, wanting to have a good chat with his elder brother.
When Cao De entered.
He found Xun Yu also present.
At this moment, Cao Cao appeared calm and composed. He was holding the "Thirty-Six Stratagems" and reading it carefully.
It seemed that from this military treatise compiled by Yu'er, Cao Cao had gleaned many strategies for attacking the enemy's mind.
And this seemed to align well with Yu'er's consistent strategic style of "attacking the mind is paramount."
"Sikong Cao has good spirits." As if noticing Cao De's entry, Xun Yu was unreserved and sighed.
He then changed the subject:
"Sikong Cao has not yet heard the latest intelligence from the spies in Shouchun City, have you?"
"Intelligence? What intelligence?" Cao Cao frowned slightly.
"Our spies have obtained reliable intelligence that after Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, the first thing he did was indeed to target Chen State. He planned to use the stratagem of feigned surrender to assassinate the leaders of Chen State, Liu Chong and Luo Jun, and thereby annex Chen State's territory and its ten thousand elite soldiers!"
Before Xun Yu finished speaking, Cao De trembled all over, nearly exploding.
Having resided in the Sikong Mansion for a long time and being exposed to the environment, how could he not know that after Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, his elder brother Cao Cao would inevitably have a major conflict with him?
And Chen State, situated between Xu Du and Shouchun, held a special position and was a key point of contention between the two sides.
This matter concerned the current situation!
Cao De spoke, "Elder brother, if this is true, we must respond promptly. If... if Yuan Shu really manages to annex Chen State, then... it will be too late to regret it!"
These words escaped his lips...
Cao Cao gave Cao De a very strange look but only pursed his lips and remained silent.
How could he, Cao Cao, not have a plan?
However, since he had fully entrusted this matter to Yu'er, naturally... he should trust and wait.
Moreover...
What Cao De did not know was that among those Yu'er had dispatched to Chen State on a mission, was his own son – Cao Anmin!
Seeing Cao Cao's silence, Xun Yu continued, "This matter, Sikong Cao still needs to plan early. Duke De's words are not false. If Chen State falls into the hands of that rebellious thief Yuan Shu, then relying on Chen State's geographical location, its military supplies, and grain reserves, he will surely advance north to attack Xu Du City! At that time, our army will be in an extremely disadvantageous position."
Upon hearing this, Cao Cao nodded. "Commander Xun, I have noted your words. Allow me to consider them further before making a decision!"
This...
Xun Yu's eyes narrowed. Cao Sikong had seemed to change during this period, abandoning his usual decisive and swift decision-making, appearing somewhat indecisive. This was truly strange.
Cao De, however, frowned...
He understood his elder brother Cao Cao well. How could his elder brother's change in temperament be without reason?
"Elder brother, this is not a child's play. If you have any concerns or unutterable difficulties, you might as well tell Commander Xun."
"There are so many talented individuals in the court; they can all help elder brother resolve difficulties! If we allow Yuan Shu to go unchecked, I fear it will be too late to regret it."
Upon Cao De's words, Cao Cao looked at Cao De with an even stranger gaze.
He muttered to himself, "Allow Yuan Shu to go unchecked? How could I possibly allow Yuan Shu to go unchecked..."
However, your son is currently carrying out Yu'er's confidential mission, which concerns the allegiance of Chen State...
If Xu Du were to act rashly, it would surely alert the enemy, putting your son in danger!
With this thought.
Cao Cao said lightly, "I understand. Soon, I will give you a reply."
Having said this, Cao Cao paused, stood up with a meaningful expression, and patted Cao De's shoulder.
He sighed, "Anmin is a good child. Recently, Sinong Lu has mentioned him to me many times, saying he is outstanding. Haha, I suppose it is not unrelated to your good parenting, brother De!"
Hearing his elder brother praise his son, Cao De felt an unspeakable sense of comfort.
However, on the surface, he still said with humility and caution.
"My younger brother's son, Cao Anmin, has truly undergone a transformation since joining the Dragon Mighty Camp! Even this younger brother is quite pleased with this."
"Has second brother not seen Anmin for a while?" Cao Cao smiled.
"It has been some time." Cao De replied, "However, the discipline of the Dragon Mighty Camp has always been strict, and soldiers cannot return home normally. Anmin makes progress every day in the Dragon Mighty Camp, so it's alright if this younger brother sees him less."
"Yes..." Cao Cao smiled faintly and said meaningfully, "Brother De is right. As men, sometimes they need more tempering. How can they grow without tempering?"
This...
As Cao Cao's words escaped his lips, Xun Yu seemed to grasp something, but Cao De felt an inexplicable unease.
Why was his elder brother suddenly asking about his son?
Although Anmin was still considered outstanding, he was not as valiant as Xiahou Ba, nor was he as filial as Cao Ang. It was not worth his elder brother mentioning him specifically, right?
Cao De, in a daze, exchanged pleasantries with Cao Cao and Xun Yu again, and then walked out of the study in a daze...
Following the sound of his footsteps, he couldn't help but ponder again.
Why had his elder brother been acting so strangely lately?
Could it be... related to Anmin? Otherwise... why would his elder brother specifically mention him?
No, it shouldn't be.
Cao De shook his head. In his opinion, Cao Anmin was merely a centurion in the Dragon Mighty Camp. What was his influence? How could he affect Cao Cao's actions?
No, it definitely wouldn't.
As for Anmin... this child, overall, still made Cao De quite confident. At least, he was stable... and didn't cause trouble.
Speaking of which, only after experiencing the incident of the bandits on Fengming Mountain in Langya Commandery would Cao De truly understand the meaning of life. What use were so many merits gained? As long as he could live a stable life, that was enough.
It was for this reason that Cao De was very pleased that Cao Anmin was in charge of the scout battalion in the Dragon Mighty Camp...
This was considered the safest position in the army. He, Cao De, was waiting for his son to support him in his old age.
However...
Cao Cao's inquiry today always made him absent-minded.
He couldn't help but ask Xun Yu, who was also leaving the study.
"Commander Xun? I have something I don't understand, and I hope Commander Xun can clarify."
"Duke De, please speak freely." Xun Yu was very polite...
Cao De's eyes darted around. "Does Commander Xun know? My elder brother just mentioned Anmin? What is his intention?"
"This..."
Xun Yu paused, wanting to speak but hesitating...
But after waiting for a moment, Xun Yu finally spoke, asking a question, "Duke De, yesterday was the day the Dragon Mighty Camp was given leave to return home to visit relatives. Did Anmin Gongzi return?"
"No, right?" Cao De replied without thinking...
How could he forget this matter? The Dragon Mighty Camp had one day off each month to visit relatives, and yesterday was that day.
In the past, every time there was a holiday for visiting relatives, the soldiers would receive their pay and give it to their families.
Of course, for the payroll distribution, the Dragon Mighty Camp needed to submit a report to the Ministry of Personnel, which would then approve it uniformly... thus, Xun Yu was quite well-informed.
It's just...
"No?" Xun Yu asked knowingly before Cao De could think further...
Immediately afterward, he nodded, then shook his head. "Then it's no wonder... this time when the Dragon Mighty Camp returned home to visit relatives, four people did not collect their salaries, namely your son, Commander Dian, Sima Cheng, and General Huang Zhong!"
Having said this, Xun Yu paused and emphasized the following words, "Five days ago, your son, along with these three, left Xu Du City. It seems they were heading towards Chen State in the Jianghuai region. Perhaps... this is Cao Gong's, or rather, Lu Gongzi's plan for Chen State!"
"What?"
"Only... only the four of them?"
Cao De suddenly shivered, his entire being exploding.
...
...