Within the Yamen of Runan Prefecture.
Cheng Yu was utterly bewildered. Things were proceeding smoothly, and from the very first word Xu Chu spoke, Cheng Yu felt as secure as could be.
It seemed…
Dealing with Xu Chu was far easier than dealing with the skeletons in the coffins.
Of course, the atmosphere in the yamen was somewhat bizarre…
This was hardly a refined place like a yamen; it felt more like Black Wind Stronghold!
Countless burly men, with broad shoulders and thick waists, were crammed into the room. Each man wore a saber at his waist. In the cold weather, their upper bodies were mostly bare, revealing their bronzed muscles. Due to their sheer size, their abs were completely hidden!
But their plump flesh… it gave one a chilling sensation.
Especially Xu Chu at the forefront. In Cheng Yu's eyes, he was as massive as a grizzly bear, a full two heads taller than Cheng Yu. His six-pack abs bulged high, and his biceps, without any deliberate exertion, were as taut as drum skins.
Yet, when he spoke…
That imposing, mighty image shattered instantly.
"Mr. Cheng, how many meals do they have a day in Cao's camp?"
Ah… ah…
Xu Chu's question caught Cheng Yu off guard.
"Typically, two meals. But the portions are generous; if it's not enough, you can get more!"
"The Dragon Soaring Camp is a bit special. They have three meals a day. Young Master Lu specifically instructed that each soldier must be guaranteed three catties of grain and one catty of meat daily. They must eat even if they don't finish."
"If he discovers even one soldier has eaten an ounce less grain or meat, the squad leader is held accountable! If a group of a hundred men are all shortchanged, the centurion is held accountable! If a thousand men are in such a state, the banner general is held accountable…"
This…
As Cheng Yu spoke, Xu Chu's eyes lit up. In fact, it wasn't just his eyes; the surrounding stout and broad-waisted righteous men also had shining eyes.
Xu Chu had gathered two thousand righteous men in Runan Prefecture, but at this moment, only five hundred fellow villagers were considered brothers by his side. These five hundred strong men were all villagers from Xu Village…
Xu Village in Qiao County, Pei State, had only two distinguishing features: "The men are strong, and the women are fierce!"
Of course, if there was another feature, it was their large appetites; each person ate at least the amount of three men per meal!
Therefore, Xu Chu's first question was directly about how many meals Cao's camp had daily…
Actually, two satisfying meals were enough to surprise Xu Chu!
But upon hearing the standard for the Dragon Soaring Camp – three catties of grain and one catty of meat per person daily, heavens above… this was simply paradise.
Xu Chu scratched his head, his tone becoming even gentler. "Only the Dragon Soaring Camp soldiers receive three catties of grain and one catty of meat daily?"
"That's right…" Cheng Yu nodded. He suddenly recalled a point Lu Yu had additionally mentioned in his letter: he could agree to any of Xu Chu's demands!
Instantly, Cheng Yu's mind raced, and he continued, "However, if there's an opportunity for Righteous Warrior Xu and these brothers to come to Cao's camp, I'll stake my head and guarantee that Young Master Lu will definitely propose to Lord Cao that you also receive the same provisions as the Dragon Soaring Camp – three catties of grain and one catty of meat per person daily!"
As expected…
These words immediately made Xu Chu excited…
Even the surrounding righteous men were almost letting out war cries!
"Excellent… Then what are we waiting for? Starting today, we two thousand righteous men of Runan belong to Lord Cao. I'm not well-educated, Mr. Cheng, you mustn't lie to us. Make sure to have Young Master Lu speak to Lord Cao about this grain matter; it's especially important to my brothers."
These people from Xu Village were strong from childhood and not afraid of the cold, so common colds didn't affect them much.
However, this year's severe drought, floods, and locust plagues had truly starved Xu Chu and his brothers. Their grain reserves were long gone, and they were now surviving by plundering grain from the neighboring Yellow Turban rebels.
The key was that the Yellow Turban rebels weren't well-fed either, so they could only eat sporadically!
Upon hearing that the Dragon Soaring Camp received three catties of grain and one catty of meat per person daily, they had been yearning for it, wishing they could go to Cao's camp and eat rice right now.
However…
Cheng Yu was a bit stunned. He had only spoken casually, but just by mentioning it, this matter of persuading them to surrender… was it done?
Were these two thousand righteous men successfully surrendering to Cao's camp just because of three catties of grain and one catty of meat?
This… this was too bizarre!
He finally understood why Young Master Lu had repeatedly emphasized in his letter that persuading Xu Chu to surrender was a very easy task, and he should enjoy it…
When Cheng Yu first read this, he had scoffed. Now, his expression was somewhat foolish!
Indeed, the entire process was enjoyable. At least, there was no "if you don't succeed, you become the subordinate," ah… no, it was at least not "if you don't succeed, you die bravely."
It was truly a pleasant surprise.
Of course, Cheng Yu didn't know that according to historical records, Xu Chu's surrender to Cao Cao was a natural progression!
This happened after Cao Cao had brought the Emperor to Xu, and Xu Chu directly surrendered, even gifting Runan to Cao Cao!
There were three reasons for this…
The first and most important was that when Xu Chu heard Cao Cao welcomed the Emperor, he gave each person among the Emperor and the officials a bowl of chicken soup. In this era of war and chaos, where there was chicken, any man would yearn for it, let alone the highly demanding Xu Chu.
The saying was, following Cao Cao meant having meat to eat.
The second was that Xu Chu and Cao Cao were from the same hometown. As the saying goes, when old acquaintances meet, tears stream down their faces… Xu Chu had great martial skill but no grand ambitions and was destined to surrender to another warlord eventually! Who he surrendered to was less important; surrendering to a fellow villager was a joyous occasion.
The third was the Emperor. Although the Xu clan of Qiao and Pei had declined many years ago.
However, as Lu Yu had analyzed before, the supreme existence of the Emperor was still deeply ingrained in the subconscious of various noble families and clans.
Xu Chu was also from a noble family, so how could he not yearn to be loyal to the Emperor?
Of course, in Xu Chu's mind, this so-called loyalty to the Emperor could almost be equated with loyalty to the one who brought the Emperor to his side!
For this very reason, the first step in Lu Yu's plan to conquer Runan, as detailed in the letter to Cheng Yu, was to lure Xu Chu over. In Lu Yu's opinion, this was indeed a very simple matter; it was like a man and woman being interested in each other, only needing someone to break the ice.
Of course, Xu Chu had also specifically tested Cheng Yu.
His courage was extraordinary, and if Cao's camp envoy was like this, Cao's camp itself, and especially Cao Cao, must be the same!
This had eliminated his final concerns…
The current surrender was merely a natural progression!
Seeing Cheng Yu still in a daze, Xu Chu couldn't help but urge, "Mr. Cheng? When will you take us to see Young Master Lu and Lord Cao… the brothers are hungry!"
Hungry?
Heh heh, Cheng Yu secretly rejoiced. He muttered to himself… Xu Chu and these righteous men were truly very cute and naive!
Instantly, Cheng Yu's face showed a hint of melancholy…
"If Righteous Warrior Xu surrenders like this, it will be difficult for me to speak to Young Master Lu about that matter of three catties of grain and one catty of meat!"
Cheng Yu displayed a troubled expression. In fact, there was a flaw in his words, but… he was confident that none of the stout men with big heads and thick necks before him would realize it. They would only be guided in the direction Cheng Yu wished.
"Oh…" As expected, Xu Chu slapped his forehead. "Right, right, look at my brain. We don't even have a token of allegiance yet, so how can we just eat Lord Cao's grain for free!"
"But… this token of allegiance? The current Runan Prefecture is divided into five parts… we only occupy one, and the rest is still with those scoundrels. Ah, this is difficult to handle!"
Hearing this, Cheng Yu stepped closer to Xu Chu and said earnestly, "I do have a plan. As long as Strong Warrior Xu acts according to this plan, the entire Runan Prefecture will be Strong Warrior Xu's token of allegiance. Then, let alone three catties of grain, even five or ten catties… our Young Master Lu will definitely ask Lord Cao to secure them for you brothers!"
This…
Xu Chu's ears instinctively moved closer to Cheng Yu's mouth.
Cheng Yu then quietly narrated his strategy. In fact, it wasn't entirely his strategy…
Lu Yu's letter clearly stated the plan: recruit Xu Chu, accept Huang Shao, intimidate He Yi, thus killing the "Heaven-Severing Yaksha" He Man and seizing Runan City in one go…
Now, this intricate chess game, at the hundred-foot pole, had just taken its first step!
"Good… Excellent!" Cheng Yu's words concluded… Xu Chu became utterly excited. This conversation was very pleasant, and the problem of his brothers being hungry was also solved. Xu Chu was truly happy in his heart and unconsciously clenched his fist, giving Cheng Yu a light pat on the shoulder.
"Haha, Mr. Cheng, I like you so much! From now on, you are my brother! You have a smart brain; I'll call you Big Brother, don't mind me!"
The pat was very light, using only a fraction of Xu Chu's strength.
*Crack…*
Cheng Yu's shoulder bone, like his heart… was about to break!
Caught off guard, Cheng Yu grunted, and his blood surged, a sweet taste flooding his throat!
Damn it… my bone might be broken.
This thought flashed through Cheng Yu's mind. Relying on his own robust physique, he managed to hold on, but his face had turned as pale as paper, wishing he could roar out loud to vent the severe pain from his shoulder.
Seeing Cheng Yu's pale face…
Xu Chu quickly asked, "What's wrong? Mr. Cheng, you don't want to be my Big Brother…"
"No… no…" Cheng Yu struggled to regulate his breathing.
Xu Chu scratched his head. "That's good then. From now on, our two thousand brothers will follow Big Brother Cheng. Big Brother Cheng is a favored subordinate of Young Master Lu, and Young Master Lu is a favored subordinate of Lord Cao. Heh heh, from now on, our brothers will be able to eat well and drink heartily every day, haha!"
As his laughter subsided, Xu Chu suddenly remembered something.
"Ah, that's right… Big Brother Cheng, many of the people in our Runan Prefecture have contracted common colds. I heard that the medical office of Young Master Lu from Yan Province has completely cured the common cold! This Young Master Lu?"
"He is the Young Master Lu I just mentioned," Cheng Yu reminded him… "Our Young Master Lu is quite talented in many ways!"
"That would be too good!" Xu Chu quickly pressed, "Brother Cheng, why don't you also send a letter to Young Master Lu and ask him to send more medical officers… to help the people of Runan City too? Our people in Runan City are pitiful!"
"Already… already on the way…" Cheng Yu's words were still disjointed; he felt pain in his shoulder. "Already on the way… they should arrive in a few days. Young Master Lu had… had made arrangements long ago…"
"As long as they surrender to our Cao's camp, their belonging territory… will be cured of the common cold…"
Oh my… Xu Chu was instantly overjoyed. He hated seeing common people suffer the most.
"Good, good! Young Master Lu is truly thoughtful. It seems this Young Master Lu is a living Bodhisattva! Actually… sometimes I think it would be good if my brothers could join the Dragon Soaring Camp. It would save us from asking Lord Cao for grain. Big Brother Cheng, don't you think so?"
Xu Chu was beaming with joy, and he once again brought his fist down on Cheng Yu's other shoulder.
Still the familiar fraction of strength, but Xu Chu's fraction of strength was something ordinary people couldn't match even with all their might!
"Creak"…
Another crisp sound of bone! Only Cheng Yu heard it clearly!
Now, both shoulders were balanced, and the world became quiet.
Indeed, just as Young Master Lu had said in his letter, enjoy the present… heh heh, this is what they call "enjoyment"!
…
…
Jing Province, outside Xiangyang City, a rural dwelling.
This was the estate of Mr. Water Mirror, Sima Hui.
He was very satisfied with the eight newly recruited disciples; each disciple was extremely diligent, especially one named "Zhuge Jun."
This talent from Langya Commandery was knowledgeable and his thoughts were watertight, causing the "nice guy" Sima Hui to praise him repeatedly.
In addition to knowledge of military strategy and tactics, "Zhuge Jun" also enjoyed studying craftsmanship with Sima Hui's female disciple, Huang Yueying.
Recently, the two had been attempting to make the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse move on their own.
They had failed many times, but both seemed to be constantly exploring…
One must know that recipients of the Mohist school's teachings were rare in this era!
The Mohist mechanisms were also reduced to fragmented scrolls. To create a Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse that could move on its own under such limited conditions was no simple task!
Today…
Inside the thatched cottage…
*Puff…*
A long exhale.
"Not right…" Zhuge Liang shook his head. "Mohist mechanisms emphasize that one force conquers ten techniques. Following the book's instructions so rigidly, this Wooden Ox might not move on its own."
Beside Zhuge Liang, Huang Yueying wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I originally thought the construction of the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse was no different from that of the mechanical bird… I didn't expect it to be so difficult!"
There was a scar on Huang Yueying's cheek, which marred her otherwise beautiful face!
Usually, during classes, she wore a veil. Only in private, when studying craftsmanship and Mohist mechanisms with "Zhuge Jun," would she remove the veil and show her true face.
However…
Zhuge Liang didn't seem to mind. Although initially, he had approached Huang Yueying with some ulterior motives!
But… as he got to know her more deeply, he found that the talent emanating from her and her persistent spirit deeply attracted him!
The scar on her cheek, in Zhuge Liang's eyes, was truly not that important.
"Deheng…"
A voice called out…
Zhuge Liang instinctively turned his head.
That's right, the Zhuge Jun he was impersonating, his courtesy name was Deheng. Now… he had gradually grown accustomed to this name, this courtesy name. When he heard it, he would instinctively turn his head.
And appearing behind him was his elder sister, Zhuge Ruoxue…
When outsiders were present, Zhuge Ruoxue would address Zhuge Liang as "Deheng." Only when they were siblings would she call him "Kongming."
"Deheng, there's a letter from Yan Province…"
As these words left her mouth…
Zhuge Liang's eyes suddenly widened. "It must be a letter from my elder brother. Yueying, let's try again tomorrow…"
"Okay." Huang Yueying nodded…
Building this Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse wasn't something that could be completed in a day or two. Mohist mechanisms were profound!
Speaking of which…
Huang Yueying looked at Zhuge Ruoxue. She murmured to herself… "I heard that 'Deheng's' elder sister Ruoxue is engaged to the young master of a noble family in Xiangyang, Kuai Qi… Is she… is she the one?"
One must know that the Kuai family of Xiangyang was a prominent clan in Jing Province. Their ancestor, Kuai Tong, was Han Xin's strategist. Nowadays… Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang within the clan were core strategists in Jing Province.
For this very reason, the engagement between Kuai Qi, the young master of the Kuai family, and Zhuge Ruoxue, the eldest daughter of the Zhuge clan of Langya, had caused a great stir throughout Jing Province!
*Hoo…*
Huang Yueying exhaled softly, sighing in admiration.
"It seems 'Deheng' will have support in Xiangyang City from now on, won't he?"
Support… was extremely important in Jing Province.
Even Huang Yueying's father, Huang Chengyan, with his great talent, hadn't he married the eldest daughter of the Cai family of Xiangyang?
With this thought, Huang Yueying's eyes closed slightly, and her attention returned entirely to the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse before her.
…
"Is this a letter from Jun brother?"
Zhuge Liang asked his elder sister in the carriage. Zhuge Ruoxue nodded…
"Is Jun brother well?" Mentioning Zhuge Jun, Zhuge Liang couldn't hide his concern. After all, if not for that sudden blow, the real Zhuge Liang would be in Yan Province now!
"Jun brother is doing very well, even better than we imagined," Zhuge Ruoxue murmured softly. "Let's return to the mansion first. After Kongming reads the letter, everything will become clear."
As she spoke…
Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Ruoxue entered Xiangyang City by carriage…
The Zhuge family had once been the richest family in Xuzhou and never lacked money…
Naturally, they had purchased a residence in a prime location within Xiangyang City.
This was also intentionally done by Zhuge Liang. The residence he purchased was located between the two major noble families of Xiangyang, the Cai family and the Kuai family.
Firstly, Huang Chengyan was the son-in-law of the Cai family. Zhuge Liang could use this opportunity to interact more with Huang Chengyan. If he could gain even a word of praise from him, it would be highly beneficial for his future development!
Secondly, Kuai Qi, the young master of the Kuai family, was just about to get married. Furthermore, his reputation was good. Whether it was associating with him or getting closer and becoming relatives… it would greatly benefit the future Zhuge family.
The residences were adjacent!
Finally, they had a close relationship. However, they hadn't expected that this Kuai Qi would be such a devoted lover. He fell in love with his elder sister Zhuge Ruoxue at first sight and even had his elders from the family propose marriage on his behalf!
As a result… in Jing Province, the Zhuge family could be considered to have established a firm foothold.
As they spoke, Zhuge Liang had returned to the mansion…
The letter was placed on the table. Zhuge Liang slowly unfolded it.
It was a long bamboo slip, densely covered with writing.
"—To my elder brother, Jun bows…"
Continuing to read the letter, Zhuge Jun first mentioned a major event in the letter – the recent great changes in Yan Province. Cao Cao, following Lu Yu's strategy, had moved west to Luoyang to welcome the Emperor!
This was nothing. The overall situation of the world was such that warlords had eyes and ears in various prefectures and counties; it was impossible to hide from them!
However…
Zhuge Jun's subsequent analysis caused Zhuge Liang's eyes to narrow, and his eyes lit up.
— "Moving west to Luoyang to welcome the Emperor, Yan Province was clearly empty, yet no warlord coveted it. The Emperor was clearly extremely important, the destination for all scholars in the world, the hope in the hearts of all clans. Yet, apart from Cao Cao, not a single warlord went to welcome him!"
— "Why was Yan Province, located in a strategically vulnerable position, safe and sound? Why were the various warlords indifferent? Originally, this foolish younger brother did not understand, but… recently, after constantly listening to Master Lu's teachings, I have come to understand one or two things!"
Seeing this, Zhuge Liang paused slightly.
Jun brother couldn't understand, but Zhuge Liang understood these two questions immediately, and saw through them!
As expected, Zhuge Jun's subsequent analysis was no different from Zhuge Liang's own thoughts!
Why was Yan Province safe and sound?
Firstly, the timing Cao Cao chose to welcome the Emperor was exceptionally good. Those stronger than Cao Cao were engaged in battle, such as Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan, or Yuan Shu and Lu Bu, Liu Bei!
Secondly, those much weaker than Cao Cao, and constrained by last year's drought and crop failure, would not have too many thoughts!
Besides, in the past few years… Cao Cao had almost created a miracle, turning defeat into victory!
The "Dragon Soaring Camp" under his command was renowned throughout the land and echoed across the nine provinces, even forcing Lu Bu's Bing Province wolf cavalry to flee in panic! Who would be so foolish as to challenge this "chosen son"?
As for… welcoming the Emperor, heh heh, thinking of this, Zhuge Liang couldn't help but smile!
There were so many warlords in the world, yet… only Cao Cao possessed such foresight!
To be precise, it wasn't that only Cao Cao existed, but rather… he was the only one capable of acting and possessing long-term vision.
This was very telling!
In fact…
What Zhuge Liang regretted most was not Yuan Shao's inaction, but… but the series of bizarre moves by the Governor of Jing Province, Liu Biao.
Zhuge Liang was stunned speechless…
Zhuge Liang exclaimed, how could a warlord be so foolish?
The opportunity to become the chosen son had just… slipped away!
It was precisely because of Liu Biao's bizarre actions that Zhuge Liang's own plans underwent significant changes. He had originally planned to seek an official position in Jing Province after completing his studies, relying on the network he had established!
But with Liu Biao acting like this, Zhuge Liang was extremely disappointed!
Now, his plan was… to remain low-key after completing his studies, hold back his ambitions, and wait for the situation to change.
Liu Biao was a pitfall. To serve under him was to fall into the pit.
Speaking of which…
What was this bizarre action that made Zhuge Liang deeply resentful and regretful?
Liu Biao's so-called most bizarre operation…
We must elaborate on how to play a perfectly advantageous hand and ruin it completely!
…
…