The story takes place in Jucheng, Yan Province.
Xun Yu was conversing with Cao De. Cao De was growing impatient regarding the matter of his benefactor.
"Strategist Xun, could you please make arrangements quickly? My father wrote again about this matter. My father and I are eagerly awaiting an audience with Young Master Lu!"
Seeing Cao De's eager expression, Xun Yu shook his head helplessly.
Lu Yu was in Chenliu Commandery, while they were in Jucheng. This wasn't child's play, where one could simply leave Jucheng at will.
After all, Lü Bu was still coveting them from Puyang City to the north. Without thorough preparations, how could Xun Yu dare to leave?
"Young Master De, if you had arrived ten, perhaps eight days earlier, Official Lu would still have been in Jucheng, and you wouldn't have to be so eager."
"Alas..." Cao De also shook his head helplessly. "I wish I could grow wings and fly here to thank our benefactor. However... Strategist Xun, could you give me a timeframe so I can write back to my father and reassure him?"
A timeframe...
Xun Yu's eyes darted, and he began to ponder.
In truth, they could leave if they wanted to. The scouts' reports from the vicinity of Puyang City indicated that everything was peaceful. Lü Bu and Chen Gong were focused on recruiting troops and pacifying the populace, and there was no immediate prospect of another invasion. Coupled with Jucheng's stringent defenses, it was considered foolproof.
However, Xun Yu was still somewhat concerned about the meeting between Cao De and Lu Yu. After all, Cao Song had an old residence in Chenliu Commandery, and many people here recognized Cao De. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Before Xun Yu could emerge from his thoughts...
"Strategist Xun, Strategist Xun... Urgent dispatch from Xuzhou, extremely urgent!"
A clear voice came from outside the door, followed by hurried footsteps.
By rights, Xun Yu had specifically instructed that no one was allowed to enter the rear courtyard of the yamen. However, in emergencies, all rules had to be set aside!
This in itself was not the issue. The issue was that the clear voice was familiar to Xun Yu, and even familiar to Cao De. Was it not Cao Anmin?
The situation in Xuzhou was precarious. Cao Anmin was quite familiar with the Jucheng yamen. Hearing that Strategist Xun was in the rear courtyard, he had directly barged in and pushed open the door.
And the moment he pushed it open, Cao Anmin froze.
"Father, Father..."
He cried out in surprise. Cao Anmin's eyes widened, round and huge, as if he had seen a ghost. His mouth also opened wide at the same time, large enough to fit an egg!
The reason was that Cao Anmin had looked at his father, the father who was reported to have met with misfortune in Langya Commandery...
And here he was, sitting perfectly fine inside, conversing with Strategist Xun.
This... this...
For Cao Anmin, the appearance of his father before him was like a bolt of lightning, too strange, too unbelievable.
...
After all, few people knew that Cao Song and Cao De were alive. Cao Cao was one, Xun Yu was another, and Lu Yu was a third...
To prevent any rumors from spreading, even Cao Anmin did not know that his father was still alive.
It was no wonder that such a meeting would cause such astonishment.
"My son, Anmin..."
It was clear that Cao De had not expected his son, Cao Anmin, to burst in at this moment.
"Father... Father, is it really you?" Cao Anmin felt an overwhelming sense of joy, his eyes brimming with tears.
This feeling was indescribable, and at the same time, it was wonderfully exquisite.
"Hush..." Xun Yu, as expected, was the fastest to react. He hurried to the door, glanced left and right, saw no one, and let out a long sigh of relief before closing the door.
He then made the "hush" gesture again, checked all the doors and windows, and finally returned to his original position.
Cao De understood this action, but... Cao Anmin was somewhat puzzled. His father was not dead, his father was safe, wasn't this something worth celebrating grandly? Why was Strategist Xun being so secretive and cautious?
Before Cao Anmin could ask, Cao De spoke first. "My son Anmin, you've been training by your uncle's side all these years, and your physique has indeed become much sturdier. However, when facing matters, you must first think carefully. Shouting and making a fuss is immature!"
He offered gentle guidance...
Upon their reunion, Cao De was the first to admonish his son.
"Father, how... how can you be here? Weren't you in Langya Commandery... met with misfortune?" Cao Anmin was about to say "met with misfortune," but the words caught in his throat, finding them inauspicious, so he swallowed them back...
Xun Yu preempted him, replying, "It is true that your grandfather and father's convoy was robbed in Langya Commandery, but your grandfather and father were unharmed. Previously, they had been hidden in Taishan Commandery."
"But... but the news back then clearly stated that my grandfather and father..."
Cao Anmin still hadn't figured out the connection.
Cao De directly interrupted, "Anmin, don't shout. Young Master Lu saved your grandfather and me. He predicted the ambush in advance and sent brave men to protect them secretly. It is precisely because of this that I can see you here."
"As for the news you mentioned, it was false. This was also the brilliance of Young Master Lu's strategy. He wanted to use this incident to secure Xuzhou for your uncle. Do you understand now?"
With such pointed reminders from his own father, even a blockhead like Cao Anmin understood.
"So... so that's how it is..."
"No wonder, no wonder... Grandfather and Strategist Xun's meeting was so secretive. It was indeed my carelessness... my rashness."
For a moment, Cao Anmin felt ashamed...
He had almost ruined Young Master Lu's, no, their benefactor's plan by shouting.
"Anmin, you must remember this," Xun Yu reminded him. "Within these doors, you are father and son. But once you leave, your father and grandfather are considered to have died tragically in Langya Commandery. This person here is a merchant from Taishan Commandery who is a close friend of your uncle. His name is Wei De, and the old man in Taishan Commandery is called Wei Song, descendants of the Wei clan of Taishan... They have always been a declining noble family!"
Oh... oh... Cao Anmin didn't understand all of this, but he nodded repeatedly. Wei De, Wei Song, these were not important... As long as his father and grandfather were safe, that was all that mattered.
Remembering the source of kindness...
Cao Anmin immediately thought of the benefactor who had saved his father and grandfather from desperate straits... Lu Yu!
For a moment, Cao Anmin was deeply grateful to Lu Yu. He wished he could immediately meet Lu Yu and kowtow to him a few times. Otherwise... how could he suppress his surging emotions?
"Oh, right, Anmin... you just mentioned an urgent dispatch from Xuzhou? Extremely urgent?" Xun Yu suddenly remembered what Cao Anmin had shouted earlier...
Oh... Cao Anmin finally recalled.
He quickly took out the bamboo slips personally written by his uncle Cao Cao from his embrace and handed them to Xun Yu.
Cao De slowly stood up. "If we are discussing military matters, I shall take my leave..."
Cao De seemed to understand the rules. To be precise, although he and Cao Cao were half-brothers, their personalities were vastly different. Cao De was more like Cao Song, being smooth and polite, always mindful of etiquette. In contrast, his elder brother Cao Cao had a penchant for taking unconventional and creative paths.
Xun Yu, while reading the bamboo slips, said, "Young Master De is Lord Cao's brother, so you don't need to be so formal. Besides, the essence of this bamboo slip is to seek advice, not a military secret..."
Hmm...
Upon hearing this, Cao De sat back down. "But has brother encountered any difficulties?"
"There are some minor difficulties," Xun Yu replied truthfully. "You should be aware of the current situation, Young Master De. Lord Cao is at the front line, and only Xuzhou's Xiapi and Guangling commanderies remain to be fully conquered. Meanwhile, Yan Province still has a hungry wolf lurking in Puyang City to the north."
"Lord Cao now faces two choices: first, to conquer Xuzhou completely, or second, to pacify the home front. Lord Cao is somewhat hesitant, hence this dispatch seeking advice... What do you think, Young Master De?"
Xun Yu did not reveal the entire content of the letter, for instance... the fact that Xiapi City bordered Yuan Shu's Huai'nan territory was deliberately omitted. Even to Cao Cao's brother, he maintained some reservations.
This...
Cao De pondered. It seemed unnecessary for Strategist Xun to consult him on such a matter.
Xun Yu, a talented individual from Yingchuan, was renowned throughout the Central Plains for his strategic thinking. His judgment of the situation was undoubtedly precise, and his own opinion seemed unimportant.
"Strategist Xun, you jest. I have always been dull-witted, how dare I answer this question?" Cao De waved his hand. "Strategist Xun's great talent is known to the world. I believe you already have a strategy. It would be best for Strategist Xun to directly answer your brother and help him overcome this dilemma!"
Hahaha...
Upon hearing this, Xun Yu chuckled and said, "As Young Master De says, I do have an idea, but it may not be precise. If we want to verify it, I fear I may have to make a trip to Chenliu Commandery to chat with that Official Lu!"
"In formulating grand strategies, Official Lu is far superior to myself..."
Hmm... As soon as Lu Gong Cao was mentioned, Cao De's eyes suddenly widened...
"Then... what does Strategist Xun mean?"
Before Cao De could finish speaking, Xun Yu stood up and patted his shoulder. "Young Master De, please bear with us and pretend to be a guard. We'll depart immediately. Young Master De will have the opportunity to meet the benefactor who saved you and the old master!"
Having said this, Xun Yu did not forget to remind Cao Anmin, "Anmin, please remember what I told you just now. However, since you are meeting your father, you will have much to discuss. It will take about a day to reach Chenliu Commandery. You should have plenty of time to chat in the carriage along the way. When we arrive in Chenliu Commandery, you must remember that your father and grandfather are dead... and you are heartbroken!"
"Your subordinate understands!" Cao Anmin bowed with cupped hands...
Xun Yu immediately prepared the carriage, and the three of them, escorted by hundreds of armored soldiers, quickly headed towards Chenliu Commandery.
It was a matter of macro-level strategic decision-making again, and in Xun Yu's opinion, this was precisely where Lu Yu excelled.
...
...
A horse troop of a hundred men appeared on the official road leading to Chenliu Commandery.
Inside the carriage, Cao De seemed to have many things to say to his son, Cao Anmin. "My son Anmin, do you still remember what your grandfather always taught us?"
"Grandfather always taught us that we Cao clan members must always... repay kindness with gratitude. This phrase is something I would never dare to forget," Cao Anmin replied quickly, his tone decisive, as if those four words were deeply embedded in his very bones.
Since the generation of Cao Teng, the Cao family had two glorious traditions passed down.
The first was the affection between grandparents and grandchildren. For example, Cao Teng's affection for Cao Cao, and Cao Song's affection for Cao Ang and Cao Anmin...
Especially the former. Few people knew that Cao Teng, who was honored by the Son of Heaven as an aide to the Emperor, respected by the Confucian scholars, and a powerful eunuch...
Every time he returned home, he would always let his grandson Cao Cao ride on his neck, willingly acting as a horse.
As for Cao Song, he had inherited Cao Teng's fine tradition and was extremely doting on Cao Ang and Cao Anmin...
As for the second tradition, it was the four words left by Cao Teng and strictly upheld by Cao Song: "Repay kindness with gratitude!"
The Cao clan had always valued kindness. Cao Cao did not fare exceptionally well in this regard, nor poorly. However, Cao De and Cao Anmin placed great importance on it.
"That's right... it's repaying kindness with gratitude," Cao De continued to admonish Cao Anmin. "Young Master Lu saved your grandfather and my father. That is a debt of gratitude that our Cao family will never forget. You..."
Before Cao De could finish speaking.
Cao Anmin preempted him, saying, "I originally wanted to join the Dragon Cavalry and train myself in the Dragon Cavalry Camp. Now... since Young Master Lu has saved my father and grandfather, I must join it even more. Even if it means being a mere pawn for Young Master Lu, I would sacrifice everything without hesitation."
Hoo...
As these words left his lips, Xun Yu let out a soft sigh, thinking to himself, "A promising youth!"
In fact, the relationship between Xun Yu and Cao Anmin was rather subtle...
From the moment Xun Yu joined Cao Cao's camp, Cao Cao had entrusted Cao Anmin to him. Nominally, Xun Yu and Cao Anmin were in a superior-subordinate relationship. But in reality, they were more like master and disciple. Xun Yu naturally hoped that Cao Anmin would achieve success.
And with Xun Yu's meticulous mind, he could judge that the Dragon Cavalry Camp was a good place to achieve great merit and bring glory to the family...
If Cao Anmin could join it, it would be a hundred times better than being by his side, and he would be able to achieve many remarkable feats in the future.
Just as he thought of this, Cao De spoke.
"Strategist Xun, I have heard that the Dragon Cavalry Camp is a military unit under Official Lu's command, and its selection process is rigorous. I hope Strategist Xun can put in a good word for my son Anmin's joining the Dragon Cavalry Camp."
Xun Yu smiled slightly. "Certainly, certainly!"
In fact, Xun Yu also wanted to say that he hoped his daughter could become a disciple of Lady Cai Yan. For this matter... he hoped Young Master De and the old master would help put in a good word with Lord Cao?
Of course... now that he had earned this favor, his daughter's apprenticeship could be discussed later.
...
...
Clang, clang...
The backyard of Lu Yu's mansion had begun a new round of steel forging.
With the successful experience of Dian Wei's previous forging, subsequent steel forging became much easier... However, during Dian Wei's forging process, many things were done based on his own feelings and experience...
It was difficult to truly summarize them.
This became an obstacle to the large-scale steel forging of the Dragon Cavalry Camp... Simply put, whether steel could be successfully forged now still depended on luck and fate, with a significant element of chance.
However, generally speaking... with the smelting of a large amount of Wrought iron, a batch of steel had been successfully produced and was being used to cast various weapons. Approximately fifty sharp weapons could be cast.
For example, Dian Wei's double halberds...
Lu Yu directly asked him to forge an extra set for him. Having lost one set, he still had another, so as to avoid losing his weapons and affecting his combat effectiveness.
Others, such as battle halberds and long spears, were also being tested and forged, allowing some Dragon Cavalry Knights to try them out. After all, steel spears and halberds were somewhat different from iron spears and halberds, and they were heavier.
This required giving them more time to adapt...
As for... the problem of mounted combat for Gu Zhi Elai, that is, the issue of iron saddles.
Lu Yu only secretly ordered Dian Wei to forge a set for himself. This was done intentionally.
Iron stirrups were not like forging steel spears and halberds. Even if other lords knew that Cao Ying's weapons were excellent, they did not understand the forging technique, so imitating them was beyond their reach...
But... iron stirrups were different. They were too easy to imitate. It was no exaggeration to say that if Lu Yu equipped all the Dragon Cavalry soldiers with them today, within two months, all the military units in the land would be equipped with them.
Therefore... Lu Yu decided to have Dian Wei forge only one set for now. He would not use it normally. He would only use it at a critical moment when facing Lü Bu...
This was like paying to get a divine artifact. I don't need to use it for ordinary skirmishes. When I truly encounter a master, I'll take out the divine artifact obtained through payment. No matter how high Lü Bu's martial prowess is, with v10 divine weapons in hand and divine stirrups on my feet, my steps will be swift, and with a single strike of 999 damage, can you withstand it?
As for the timing for the widespread use of iron stirrups.
Lu Yu pondered that it should be used in at least one crucial battle!
Currently... the forging workshop in the backyard of Cai Mansion was in full swing. The only difference was that Cao Cao's daughter, Cao Mu, often appeared there, observing and recording from time to time...
Lu Yu couldn't be bothered with her, as long as she didn't bother him.
One day later...
Someone hurried to the backyard forging workshop to report to Lu Yu. "Young Master Lu, Strategist Xun is here to see you... He says it concerns the situation in Xuzhou?"
Hmm... The situation in Xuzhou?
If it weren't for this announcement, Lu Yu would have almost forgotten about old Cao in Xuzhou...
It turned out that all his attention had been focused on steel forging during this period. To what extent had the battle in Xuzhou progressed? Lu Yu was completely unaware...
Had Tao Qian died yet?
Or... had Xuzhou been ceded to the Great Ear Liu Bei?
This was very important to Lu Yu!
...
...