During this time, Lu Yu felt like he had gained many sworn brothers.
Not to mention Xiahou Dun, with whom he had sworn brotherhood.
Guo Jia, who shared similar interests, also counted as one.
Today, Cao Hong had also become Lu Yu's sworn brother. Lu Yu was truly speechless… He felt like there were always people in this world who wanted to acknowledge him as their younger brother.
Of course… if things continued at this pace, Lu Yu reckoned that one day, even Old Cao might want to recognize him as a "sworn brother."
Alas, being young meant having no rights in Cao Ying! He was always the junior everywhere he went!
"Commander Dian."
"Your subordinate is present."
"Dispatch someone to summon Commander Cheng immediately. He is to see me now." Lu Yu directly commanded.
Although Cheng Yu had now become the General of the Zhonglang of the East and was recorded in the Shangshu Tai, his official title of Colonel of the Long Xiao Battalion had not been abolished. Moreover, he still commanded the Mojin Battalion…
Lu Yu was still accustomed to calling him Commander Cheng.
"Yes!" Dian Wei agreed and immediately sent someone to pass the message…
As they spoke, Lu Yu had already walked back to the Sinong Mansion.
The sky was already dim… but the lights in the mess hall were on. As expected… one could acknowledge many "sworn brothers," but there could only be one "sworn sister."
Lu Yu quickly walked into the mess hall.
On the table, a large spread of dishes was already laid out. Seated at the dining table, gracefully awaiting Lu Yu and looking forward to her brother's return… besides Sister Zhaoji, who else could it be?
"Sister thought you would be staying overnight at Shangshu Tai? Since you're back, it's not in vain that Sister cooked this entire table of dishes."
Don't mention it…
As soon as Sister Zhaoji said this, Lu Yu felt hungry!
Talking with a group of sworn brothers every day, how could it be as enjoyable as having a meal with his sister?
Lu Yu smiled slightly and proactively used his chopsticks to serve a few "phoenix claws" onto Cai Zhaoji's plate.
"Sister, you eat too. Eat this…"
Chicken feet are rich in collagen, which not only benefits Sister's skin but can also enhance the fullness of her chest tissue.
Sister Zhaoji… her previously "set in stone" figure was now showing signs of developing into a graspable curve. Now, she needed to take a further step forward.
Actually… Lu Yu was also considering getting some seafood… Clams and oysters are rich in zinc and copper, which can stimulate the growth of female hormones.
It was only a pity that it couldn't be done through hand massage. What a shame!
As everyone knows, hand massage is the most effective.
This could be seen to some extent from the women before and after marriage before his transmigration.
"Why aren't you eating the dishes Sister cooked for you, and instead serving them all to Sister? Are they not to your taste? Or… has the chef at the Sinong Mansion spoiled your palate."
Upon hearing this…
*Cough cough…* Lu Yu coughed lightly, his eyes subconsciously glancing at… that place.
How would Sister Zhaoji know that her Brother Yu was currently playing a grand strategy?
In his twenties, it was precisely the age when young shoots emerge, when one is blossoming. This was a very, very significant and important move.
"Sister Zhaoji…" To avoid being discovered, Lu Yu changed the subject. "Did His Majesty and Her Majesty summon you to the palace today? What was the reason? Did they bully you?"
"How could they bully me?" Cai Zhaoji gently shook her head. "They merely asked me some questions about the Imperial Academy. It seems His Majesty and Her Majesty are exceptionally concerned about the construction of the Imperial Academy. They even allowed me to enter the palace at any time and to seek them out with any questions, and they would help resolve them."
Speaking of which, Cai Zhaoji paused and asked with a hint of confusion, "Are His Majesty and Her Majesty always like this? Why does Sister feel that they are showing me exceptional care… asking after my well-being and comfort, making me feel so honored and a bit embarrassed. Especially Empress Fu, who even proposed we become sworn sisters!"
This.
Lu Yu's eyes flickered…
Her Majesty the Empress personally proposed becoming sworn sisters? This… was a bit too much, wasn't it?
Of course, Lu Yu could not know the thoughts of the Son of Heaven and the Empress!
But clearly, even the Son of Heaven and the Empress were not as polite to Old Cao. Was it because the Son of Heaven valued the Imperial Academy? Or… was it out of consideration for Sister Zhaoji's father, Cai Yong?
At this moment, Lu Yu did not know that Emperor Liu Xie and Empress Fu Shou had their own hidden agenda, which was focused on Lu Yu himself.
"You became sworn sisters with Her Majesty the Empress?" Lu Yu asked back…
"Of course," Cai Zhaoji nodded. "Since Her Majesty the Empress said so, and I am merely a humble woman, how could I go against her kindness? Moreover… Her Majesty the Empress directly produced the Golden Orchid Register, so it was impossible not to swear kinship!"
Speaking of which, Cai Zhaoji gracefully stood up and recounted the process of becoming sworn sisters in detail.
"Her Majesty the Empress and I each pricked our right hands with a needle and dripped blood into the wine. Each of us drank half a bowl… and the ceremony was complete. However, speaking of which, I am a few years older than Her Majesty the Empress, so I became the older sister!"
In the Han Dynasty, there were no statues of Guan Gong!
Therefore… the rules for men and women swearing brotherhood were generally the same.
It was necessary to produce the Golden Orchid Register. Each person had a copy, where names were written in order of age, and fingerprints were affixed!
When the ritual began, each person would hold an incense stick and the "Golden Orchid Register," kneel, burn incense, and announce to Heaven.
Then, a chicken was slaughtered, and its blood was dripped into the wine.
The only difference between men and women during sworn brotherhood was that men would prick their left middle finger with a needle and drip blood into the wine, while women would prick their right hand with a needle and drip blood into the wine.
Finally, drinking one sip in order of age, from then on, men would call each other brothers, and women would call each other sisters.
However…
Logically speaking, in ancient times, there were many considerations for women swearing brotherhood. It even required the consent of both families and an inquiry into their birth charts. Those whose birth charts did not match could not swear brotherhood.
Therefore, Lu Yu was very surprised…
That the Son of Heaven and Her Majesty the Empress would show such goodwill to Sister Zhaoji. This was swearing kinship, and from then on, Sister Zhaoji would have to address Empress Fu as Empress Younger Sister. This was implicitly elevating her status!
However… was this good or bad?
With this thought, Lu Yu became even more curious.
"Sister, besides the oath of sworn kinship, did Her Majesty the Empress not converse with you about anything else?"
Lu Yu continued to ask…
Cai Zhaoji replied without hesitation, "Of course… and it was a very important matter."
Hmm…
Lu Yu paused slightly, and Cai Zhaoji's words flowed out, and at the same time… Cai Zhaoji's expression became somewhat complex.
It was as if she was both hopeful and… somewhat lost.
"Brother Yu, do you know that besides Prince Bian and His Majesty, the late Emperor also had a daughter, who is His Majesty's elder sister – Princess Wannian."
Speaking of this, Cai Zhaoji paused. She raised her eyes and gazed at Lu Yu, as if… she wanted to see every change on Brother Yu's face at the first moment.
"Her Majesty the Empress heard that my younger brother is not married and intends to betroth Princess Wannian to my younger brother. Logically speaking… such matters are decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers. However, Sister… Sister only said that such matters require asking my younger brother's opinion before replying, and then Her Majesty the Empress said no more!"
This matter was essentially Her Majesty the Empress lowering her status and proposing a match.
Logically speaking, Cai Yan could not refuse. However… inexplicably, she did refuse. While she did consider asking Brother Yu for his reasons, it was more out of her reluctance to part with Brother Yu.
Cai Zhaoji could accept Brother Yu marrying a beautiful maiden, but… she absolutely could not accept marrying a maiden about whom she knew nothing.
What if this Princess Wannian did not get along with her?
What if there were conflicts between her and Princess Wannian in the future? Wouldn't this put Brother Yu in a difficult position out of nowhere?
Thinking of this, Cai Zhaoji's expression dimmed.
Of course, marrying the late Emperor's eldest daughter would be a great thing for Brother Yu, wouldn't it?
However…
Although Cai Zhaoji thought it was a good thing, in Lu Yu's opinion, it was not a good thing at all, but clearly a disaster!
Huo…
Lu Yu's brows furrowed. He immediately understood something.
No wonder Emperor Liu Hong and Empress Fu Shou were showing such goodwill to his sister. The reason lay here…
The Han court was targeting him, Lu Yu!
Instantly, Lu Yu understood…
The Han court wanted to win over Lu Yu. However… how could Lu Yu dedicate himself to the Han court? As Old Cao grew stronger, the Han court's space for survival would only become narrower. At this time, one must not be deluded… one must remain sober and stand on the right side!
Princess Wannian! Even if she was the daughter of the late Emperor…
But… was Lu Yu someone who… could be swayed by beauty? Moreover… this was a matter of choosing sides. If one chose incorrectly, great chaos would ensue!
Thinking of this, Lu Yu shook his head. He pondered that even if Princess Wannian was a peerless beauty, a siren… he still could not agree.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, Cai Zhaoji spoke. "When I left the palace today, Empress Younger Sister specifically brought out this Princess Wannian. Sister took a look, and indeed, she was a peerless beauty, charming and delicate. Even though Sister is a woman… at that moment, I was somewhat moved. Speaking of which, she would be a perfect match for Brother Yu, a match made in heaven!"
Ah… ah…
Lu Yu was slightly stunned. Was she that beautiful? Peerless beauty, charming and delicate, even moving Sister Zhaoji. You damn it… the Han court was trying to tempt him into sin!
No, he must see what kind of peerless beauty this Princess Wannian was!
Lu Yu felt he must see her with a critical eye!
Alas…
Lu Yu was helpless.
They say there are always unruly commoners trying to harm me!
When it came to Lu Yu, it was directly changed to: There are always women who want to marry me!
I'm drunk, I'm drunk!
Tonight, Lu Yu was not drunk from wine, but from his own emotions!
*Cough cough*, this behavior must be criticized, severely criticized!
…
It was half an hour later when Lu Yu left the mess hall.
"Commander Cheng is waiting for Young Master in the study." Dian Wei immediately reminded him.
Speaking of which, Cheng Yu had already been here for a while.
"Good!" Lu Yu nodded… and collected his thoughts.
The matter of Princess Wannian would be put aside for now. The urgent matter was… to first instruct Cheng Yu on some exceptionally important matters.
At this moment… the sky was even darker. Dark clouds were gathering in the southeast, hinting at rain.
… The entire weather was swept up by the early summer storm, as if… a torrential downpour was on its way to an appointment.
However, there was not a trace of wind within the entire Sinong Mansion. The air was stagnant, and the tall poplar trees seemed drowsy, listlessly fluttering their indiscernible colored leaves.
A chilling and somber atmosphere…
And in the study, only a single candle was lit.
Lu Yu's voice emerged quietly.
"Commander Cheng, your mission has arrived…"
"This mission is more dangerous than any previous one, but if successful, the State of Chen between Xuchang and Shouchun will belong to Cao Ying. In addition, Cao Ying will gain an additional hundred thousand troops, thus looking down upon the Central Plains!"
Speaking of this, Lu Yu paused before continuing:
"As for the specific actions this time, the primary task is for you to secretly infiltrate the State of Chen. I cannot give you too many men, but… I have selected three people. They will definitely be able to assist you and complete the mission!"
Mentioning this…
Cheng Yu's eyes narrowed. From Lu Yu's expression, he could also feel the importance of this mission, let alone the State of Chen, and a hundred thousand elite soldiers?
Actually…
As a member of the Shangshu Tai, how could Cheng Yu not know the strategic position of the State of Chen?
It could be said… if Cao Cao wanted to attack Yuzhou, if he wanted to fight Yuan Shu decisively, then… the attitude of the State of Chen was a crucial link, even determining success or failure.
*Hoo…*
Cheng Yu let out a long breath.
Cheng Yu cupped his hands. "Young Master Lu, please speak freely. Cheng Yu will certainly not disgrace the mission!"
Hearing this, Lu Yu was finally relieved. He nodded. "We will probably need to talk through the specific details all night. Let me first mention the three people I am sending to assist you in completing the mission!"
Mentioning the specific candidates, Lu Yu paused, then pronounced three names one by one.
"Huang Zhong!"
"Dian Wei!"
"Cao Anmin!"
These were the three people Lu Yu had specially prepared for this mission!
One marksman!
One warrior!
And one great support!
Huo… Huang Zhong? Dian Wei?
Upon hearing this, Cheng Yu dared not be negligent!
As for Cao Anmin, Lu Yu was actually able to send General of Dong'an, Huang Zhong, and his personal guard, Dian Wei… This… this lineup showed how important and how dangerous this mission was!
Perhaps… others hearing this would instinctively shiver.
But Cheng Yu was no ordinary person.
This "Ghost's Fear in the Central Plains" had seen too much of the world. He was calm and composed, his face uncolored, and he retorted with great composure:
"Young Master Lu, stop beating around the bush. Let's begin!"
Saying this, Cheng Yu opened a bamboo slip and picked up his brush. He intended to record the points that required special attention on the bamboo slip to prevent any omissions!
In Cheng Yu's opinion, any task assigned to him must be foolproof!
…
…
On the first day of May, in Shouchun City, Huainan.
In front of a magnificent palace…
Yuan Shu's eyes narrowed tightly. He held the Imperial Seal, his mood… seemed to have already drifted to the ninth heaven. He was only one step away from proclaiming himself emperor.
Just then…
*Tap tap tap…* Three men strode in.
With a "pat," they all knelt down…
A white-haired, white-bearded elder in the lead advised:
"My Lord, please reconsider! In the past, King Wen of Zhou, having two-thirds of the world, still submitted to King Zhou. Now, Duke Yuan merely possesses six prefectures of Yangzhou and the lands of Yuzhou? It is not even one-tenth of King Wen of Zhou's territory. How can he proclaim himself emperor?"
"Moreover, although the Han Dynasty is weak now, its destiny is not yet exhausted. Furthermore, it does not possess the tyranny of King Zhou of Yin. Proclaiming oneself emperor rashly will inevitably lead to attacks from all over the world. This is the path to destruction!"
The speaker was Yan Xiang. He was a counselor under Yuan Shu and held a high position. He was also the one who voiced the strongest opposition to Yuan Shu proclaiming himself emperor.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu's expression tightened. Naturally… he was very displeased!
The supreme dignity of an emperor was too great a temptation for him.
"Hmph…"
With a cold snort, Yuan Shu stood up. "I merely want to take Duke Huan of Qi and Emperor Gaozu of Han as role models. Moreover, I have elite troops and ample provisions. Looking across the empire, who can contend with me?"
Speaking of this, the second man, Zhang Xun, a general commanding troops under Yuan Shu, stated loudly, "My Lord, the act of proclaiming oneself emperor is based on virtue, not on cauldrons. Even if my Lord has elite troops and ample provisions, it… it is still not the right time!"
"Hmph…"
Yuan Shu snorted coldly again.
However, compared to his previous anger, he was much calmer now.
These were all future founding officials… he had to comfort them well!
He turned around and lamented, "Gentlemen, look at me… I, Yuan Shu, am already over fifty years old, long past the age of knowing destiny, my face is weathered, and my time is short!"
"If I do not establish a great throne soon, I will have no time to fulfill my wishes in the future. After I ascend the throne, I will certainly appoint the three of you as State Preceptors, second only to one person, and above ten thousand others!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the last one, Yang Hong, also stepped forward. He was Yuan Shu's chief strategist and held the highest position in Yuan Shu's faction.
"My Lord… you… you absolutely must not proclaim yourself emperor!"
"Why not?" Yuan Shu directly retorted. "In the past, Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, his official position was merely a pavilion chief of Sishui, with only a three-foot sword in his hand and less than a dozen followers, yet he dared to contend for the empire!"
"Now the Han Dynasty has lasted for four hundred years, its destiny is exhausted. Currently, the world is in turmoil, heroes are rising, the strong are kings! The strongest among the strong can naturally proclaim themselves emperor. If I, Yuan Shu, am not called the strong? Who in the world dares to call themselves strong? Speaking of which, who in the world can contend with me? Who dares to contend with me?"
Alas…
Upon hearing this, Yang Hong, Yan Xiang, and Zhang Xun exchanged glances, muttering to themselves, It's over, Yuan Shu is determined.
But… as civil and military officials loyal to Yuan Shu, they still had to persuade him!
"Duke Yuan is a wise lord, but… but you are not Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang!"
Yan Xiang painstakingly advised:
"There are only two people in the world today who can contend with Duke Yuan: Yuan Shao of Jizhou! And Cao Cao of Xuchang! Yuan Shao once served as the commander-in-chief of the eighteen lords. He now occupies Jizhou, Qingzhou, and Bingzhou… and sooner or later, Youzhou in the north will also fall into his hands! He now has an army of five hundred thousand, with numerous civil officials and a multitude of generals. Moreover… he… he is also Duke Yuan's elder brother! His reputation is higher than my Lord's!"
"As for Cao Cao, he is even more of a cunning hero of the current era. Although his power is not as great as Duke Yuan's at present, he holds the Son of Heaven by the leash to command the feudal lords, holds the reins of the empire… he allies with the distant and attacks the near, moving freely north and south… his military might is growing stronger day by day! In addition, spies have investigated and found that Cao Cao has a remarkable talent under him. At only seventeen years of age, he deeply understands the art of war and the hearts of men… he is… he is…"
Yan Xiang paused abruptly here, then emphasized his tone, and the words that followed… each word was sonorous and powerful.
"Has Duke Yuan forgotten? Two years ago, Yin Lin was precisely fifteen years old… In my opinion…"
Before Yan Xiang could finish speaking…
"Be quiet!" Yuan Shu pointed his finger at Yan Xiang's forehead, his tone extremely cold. "How many times have I told you that Yin Lin is under my command!"
"Yin Lin told me that the one who will replace the Han Dynasty is me, Yuan Shu!"
Speaking of this…
It seemed that Yuan Shu's anger had been ignited, and he shouted, "Bring forth the officials! Summon Yin Lin!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Yang Hong, Yan Xiang, and Zhang Xun exchanged glances with each other…
Has this Yin Lin, whom Duke Yuan mentioned as having long submitted to him, finally… finally emerged from obscurity?
Is Yin Lin in Cao Ying of Xuchang? Or under Duke Yuan of Huainan?
…
…