In Yanzhou, Juancheng, the rear hall of the yamen.
All the armored soldiers stood far away. Even Xun Yu's most trusted subordinates did not know which guest Sima Xun would be meeting today.
A table stood between them, and two figures knelt on either side. Xun Yu was on the left, and the guest on the right. What was peculiar was that the guest wore a bamboo hat, and a veil of black gauze obscured the face beneath it.
Xun Yu slowly poured the tea and proactively pushed the cup towards the guest. The guest accepted it and remained silent, or rather, he was waiting for Xun Yu to speak first.
"My lord sent me a letter a few days ago, mentioning that Young Master De would be coming. I was rather worried... but after meeting Young Master De today, the stone in my heart has finally been completely lifted!"
Xun Yu began to speak slowly. Even for the eloquent Xun Yu, this opening remark required much thought.
After all, given the current situation, Cao De was already considered dead. Moreover, at this juncture, his appearance was inconvenient, as it could trigger a chain reaction.
If the news of Cao Song and Cao De's survival were to spread, it would undoubtedly affect the morale of Cao Cao's soldiers who were attacking Xiapi city.
From a broader perspective, all the other lords would feel that Cao Cao had tricked them.
"Sima Xun, Cao De and the old Master Cao fled to Langya Commandery long ago. Young Master Lu sent the strong warrior Dian Wei to rescue 'Wei De' and my father, 'Old Master Wei.' It is Wei De's great fortune to be able to meet you, Sima Xun!"
Cao De removed his bamboo hat...
Xun Yu nodded. Very good. It was best for Cao Song and Cao De to remain dead forever. As for Young Master Wei De and Old Master Wei, it was acceptable for them to move about in Yanzhou.
A few days ago, Cao Cao's letter had mentioned this...
Arranging new identities for Old Master Cao and Cao De was not difficult, but it was troublesome. However, with Xun Yu's meticulous style of handling affairs, it could be completed within a few days.
"Young Master Cao... no, Young Master Wei De, feel free to stay in Juancheng for a few days. I will arrange everything else..." Xun Yu said with a smile.
"Then I must trouble you, Sima Xun," Cao De said, rising and cupping his hands in respectful thanks.
Xun Yu went to help him up, but to his surprise, Cao De remained bent over, his hands still clasped.
"Young Master Wei De, what is the reason for this?" Xun Yu quickly asked.
"I have one more request," Cao De said, his gaze becoming extremely earnest. His waist was bent like an arch bridge.
"Young Master De, please speak your mind. As long as it is within my capabilities, I will certainly arrange it."
"It is..." Cao De paused. "May I ask Sima Xun to arrange a meeting for me with my and my father's benefactor?"
"You wish to see Administrator Lu?" Xun Yu asked in return. He immediately looked troubled. Lu Yu was the commander of the Dragon's Might Battalion, an administrator in the military headquarters, and also the Commander of the Excavation Army.
He had too many people around him, and they were too diverse. Allowing Cao De to meet him carried significant risks.
What if someone recognized Cao De? That would be detrimental to the overall situation!
Cao De could see Xun Yu's difficulty.
But he still insisted, "Before I came here, my father had said that besides a new identity, it was imperative to thank our benefactor. The grace of saving our lives is like being reborn. I hope Sima Xun can understand the feelings of my father and I in bowing to our benefactor."
"This..." Xun Yu paced back and forth. He was a cautious man, and he was still evaluating the risks involved.
To meet, or not to meet? That was the question!
This matter seemed minor, but its implications were significant. Xun Yu dared not agree, but after all, the visitor was Cao Gong's brother, and it was Old Master Cao's request...
"Young Master De, how about this: there is no need to express your gratitude in person. After I arrange your and Old Master's new identities in the next couple of days, I will personally take you to Chenliu Commandery. Do not reveal your identity; just act as a guard by my side and observe Administrator Lu from close range. This is the greatest concession I can make."
Upon hearing this...
Cao De became extremely excited and elated. "Thank you... thank you, Commander Xun."
He knew Xun Yu's difficulties, but how could he and his father not even know their benefactor's appearance? How could they express their gratitude from the bottom of their hearts?
To be able to see their benefactor from close range was already a tremendous honor for Cao De.
"Young Master De, please stay in the yamen for these few days. Go out as little as possible, and avoid interacting with anyone," Xun Yu reminded him earnestly. "Even with a new identity, it is the same. The Central Plains are currently in turbulent times, and Ming Gong cannot afford even the slightest ripple or disturbance!"
"Wei De will remember Sima Xun's teachings!" Cao De cupped his hands in thanks again and again.
"Drink your tea; it's getting cold." Xun Yu refilled Cao De's cup.
While refilling the tea, he mentally reviewed the entire incident again. Looking back, the more he savored the details, the more Xun Yu felt a surge of emotion and astonishment.
Lu Yu, or perhaps Yin Lin, what kind of extraordinary youth was he?
Throughout the entire affair, without any foreshadowing, he had accurately predicted Cao Song and Cao De's predicament and sent Dian Wei to secretly protect them. Achieving this alone was already incredible.
But the most brilliant move was the next step: he released the news of Cao Song and Cao De's tragic deaths while hiding the living Cao Song and Cao De at the foot of Mount Tai.
To put it mildly, this single move had revitalized Cao Gong's situation. Perhaps from the moment he predicted the ambush on Cao Song's convoy, he had already begun planning the campaign for Xuzhou.
With such foresight and vision, who could compare?
And now, with more than half of Xuzhou in Cao Gong's hands and a stable rear in Yanzhou, who else could claim the credit?
Heh heh, Xun Yu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The world is like a chessboard, and Yin Lin is the player.
With this thought, Xun Yu's eyes narrowed. To think that young people nowadays could be so meticulous. He had no choice but to admire them!
Wait a minute...
He recently heard that Madam Ding of Chenliu Commandery had arranged for her eldest daughter, Cao Mu, to study under Miss Cai Yan. This move was deeply significant. Cao Mu was at the age of maidenhood and was quite close in age to Lu Yu!
But then again...
Xun Yu pondered. He also had a daughter with the Tang family. If Madam Ding wanted to be Yin Lin's mother-in-law, Xun Yu was also contemplating becoming Yin Lin's father-in-law!
Sending his daughter to study under Miss Cai Yan was something Xun Yu felt he could also do. As they say, a shameless person is invincible in the world.
...
...
In Chenliu Commandery, Cai Manor.
"Achoo!" After a long and sound sleep, Lu Yu, dressed by his maidservant, rinsed his mouth and prepared to step out to greet a new day.
It was truly comfortable to be home. With his rather discerning palate, only the food personally prepared by Sister Zhaoji could truly satisfy him.
To be honest, the food of this era was very plain, with steaming being the most common method. Without some special techniques, the dishes were almost unpalatable.
Lu Yu pushed open his door, intending to go for breakfast. Today, Sister Zhaoji's academy was holding its usual classes. After breakfast, Lu Yu also had to accompany Sister Zhaoji in "disciplining," no, to be precise, teaching knowledge to the not-so-bright "Little Kongming."
Speaking of which, Lu Yu truly treated "Zhuge Liang" as his son. Raising a son for support in old age; how relaxed his future life would be depended on whether this son, or rather, this Kongming, could shoulder the responsibility.
With a spirit of never tiring of teaching, he never expected that upon opening the door, he would see a woman waiting for him. She seemed to have been waiting for a long time.
It was not the concubine maidservant from last night;
Nor was it Sister Zhaoji... but a woman Lu Yu was rather unwilling to see – Cao Mu!
Good heavens, could it be that the verbal sparring last time hadn't convinced her? She still dared to come?
"What? Why are you here so early in the morning? Don't tell me you plan to set fire to my residence?" Lu Yu asked directly.
This was not unfounded speculation. Considering the various formidable examples of Princess Qinghe in history, he truly felt that Cao Mu was capable of such an act.
To his surprise, Cao Mu remained silent. She just bit her red lips tightly and hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, "I... I want to learn the Hundred Crafts?"
Ah... ah...
Lu Yu felt a bit dazed. Wasn't this girl boasting just two days ago that the Hundred Crafts were all done by servants, exhibiting a haughty and ugly demeanor?
Had she finally come to her senses? Did she realize the importance of the "Hundred Crafts"?
Did she now become teachable?
Heh heh, Lu Yu stretched lazily. "That's easy. If you want to learn the Hundred Crafts, go ask Sister Zhaoji. She knows how to do ordinary things like weaving mats and baskets... By the way, you girls should learn needlework; isn't that also one of the Hundred Crafts?"
He decided to dismiss her with a few casual remarks. They were all mixing in Chenliu Commandery, and their residences were close. They would see each other frequently, so there was no need to strain their relationship.
Never did he expect Cao Mu to walk quickly to his side.
In itself, this was nothing, but considering her proud physique, Lu Yu felt a bit dizzy. He hadn't seen such a swaying spectacle for over a decade!
Soon, Cao Mu was only a step away from Lu Yu. She was still very confident, her chest pushed out. "I want to learn from you. I want to learn forging."
"I also want to forge knives like those of the State of Zheng, scales like those of the State of Song, daggers like those of Lu, and swords like those of Wu and Yue... I want to forge divine weapons that will shock the world."
Ah... ah...
Lu Yu felt as if his ears were playing tricks on him. Cao Mu learning forging? A girl learning forging? Learn forging from your great uncle!
Looking at her slender arms, slender legs, and slender waist, except for the prominent curves of her chest... she hardly looked like someone who could forge.
Forging required eight-pack abs, arms thicker than Lu Yu's thighs, and definitely not reliance on one's "chest." Lu Yu muttered in his heart... Forget about her C-cup, even a D-cup would be useless!
"Forget it..." Lu Yu immediately refused. "You're not suitable... Forging is exclusively for men... How about something else?"
"No... I just want to learn forging," Cao Mu said, becoming more insistent. "You said it yourself two days ago, learning the Hundred Crafts doesn't require mastery, but you must understand them. Only then can you interact with craftsmen and direct them, so you won't be deceived by them. Why are you saying I can't learn now?"
Hey... this line of reasoning left Lu Yu speechless. What a nimble tongue!
This girl was using his own words to counter him. So, you must be from the Murong family of Gusu, playing the game of "using their own methods against them" so skillfully.
Alright...
Lu Yu no longer objected. He spread his hands slightly. "Let me tell you first, learning forging is very arduous. Sometimes, to forge a weapon or a piece of material, you might not be able to sleep for days. The difficulties involved are beyond your imagination. I advise you to think carefully."
"If it were not difficult, I wouldn't learn it!" Cao Mu said stubbornly.
Fine... as they say, one will not shed tears until they see the coffin. Lu Yu did not argue and simply asked her to follow him. He even forgot about breakfast and took this future Princess Qinghe to see... what exactly forging was like!
Upon hearing that it was real forging, Cao Mu's spirits soared, and she followed Lu Yu closely.
Along the way, she constantly asked about forging knowledge, chirping like a little bird. This made Lu Yu sigh repeatedly. This is what women are like! Confucius was right, women are troublesome!
...
Lu Yu had a dedicated forging workshop within the Dragon's Might Battalion. Currently, it primarily supplied equipment for the Tomb Robbers.
Tools for grave robbing and excavation, such as the Luoyang shovel, were consumed quickly and required the finest wootz steel. Therefore, the forging workshop was very busy every day.
However, Lu Yu was not taking Cao Mu to the Dragon's Might Battalion's forging workshop, but to his own backyard.
A small forging room was also set up here, complete with a furnace and all the necessary tools for blacksmithing and forging.
What differentiated it from the Dragon's Might Battalion's forging workshop was that there were only five or six craftsmen here, but... they were all the most outstanding craftsmen in the Dragon's Might Battalion.
As for their purpose, it was more for "experiments" as described by Wei Yu!
It should be noted that Cao Cao had previously ordered that all fine wootz steel be sent to Lu Yu's Dragon's Might Battalion first. The place where the Dragon's Might Battalion truly used this fine wootz steel was within the small confines of Lu Yu's backyard.
If converted into equivalent wealth, the monthly expenditure of this small courtyard was already an astronomical figure. However... at present, Lu Yu's "steel forging" endeavor was not progressing smoothly.
This was mainly because, although Lu Yu possessed extensive theoretical knowledge of steel forging and could even list the entire periodic table of elements.
In reality, he had not personally attempted steel forging. Many things are like this; theory and books alone are not enough. Practice is necessary, and many details in practice cannot be recorded in books.
This is the principle of "what is learned on paper is superficial; true understanding comes from practice."
For example, in steel forging, although Lu Yu understood the theory and had taught it to these blacksmiths – which involved refining pig iron into liquid wrought iron and then pouring the wrought iron into pig iron to cause an oxidation reaction.
However, in actual practice, various problems would often arise.
Control of the heat; temperature control of the liquid wrought iron; and the external temperature during the oxidation reaction, in addition to over a hundred other points, each of which could affect the entire result of steel forging. These were not specifically recorded in books.
But, even though the progress was slow, Lu Yu continued to transport the finest wootz steel to continue his attempts.
Lu Yu had adjusted his mindset to the best possible state. Steelmaking is truly not something that can be achieved overnight. People say that constant dripping can wear through stone, and Lu Yu did not believe that with accumulated effort, he could not forge steel!
Huh...
As he brought Cao Mu to the backyard, Lu Yu saw Dian Wei there as well. Lu Yu had thought that he was either in the Dragon's Might Battalion these days or had gone home to honor his mother, so he was surprised to see him here.
What was more, for the past two days... Dian Wei had not been heard to be staying in the side chambers of Cai Manor.
Perhaps due to his complete concentration during the steel forging, Dian Wei had not noticed Lu Yu's arrival.
Lu Yu then asked a resting craftsman, "When did Commander Dian arrive?"
"Oh... Young Master," the craftsman replied, giving Lu Yu a salute with his fists clenched. "Commander Dian has been here for a full two days. As soon as he arrived, he asked... if the steel that could cut iron like mud, which you proposed, had been forged yet. We truthfully replied no, and after asking for some details, he personally went to forge steel!"
What? Dian Wei could also forge steel?
Lu Yu was slightly stunned. Before he could recover, the craftsman continued, "We initially thought Commander Dian was an amateur, but who would have thought that he was quite familiar with forging? With a little guidance, he understood everything. After asking, we learned that he had been living by forging before joining the army, which explains why he has such strength."
This was true. Craftsmen who engaged in forging often possessed great strength. Eight-pack abs were handsome, and biceps were as strong as an ox.
This cleared up one of Lu Yu's questions. No wonder Dian Wei had incredible strength; it turned out not to be innate, but honed by hammer blows.
But... Lu Yu was still full of questions.
Why was Dian Wei forging steel out of the blue? After all, he was the martial arts instructor of the Dragon's Might Battalion, appointed by Lu Yu, and training the knights of the Dragon's Might Battalion every day was also very important.
Of course, even Lu Yu did not know that the reason Dian Wei was forging steel here stemmed from a fixation of his.
The obsessions of honest people are the most terrifying and are capable of creating immortal legends.
And Dian Wei's obsession began with that night of wind and cries, filled with murderous intent.
...
...