Where are Father and younger brother currently residing?
As Xun Yu’s question was posed, Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, instantly understanding Xun Yu’s implication.
“Zi Xiao, are Father and Brother De safe?” Cao Cao also pressed for an answer…
“Oh… safe!” Cao Ren replied truthfully. “It’s just… Commandant Dian did not bring them to Chen Liu Commandery, nor did he rendezvous with the ever-watchful Cao Jin at the border. Instead, they took a large detour to Tai Shan Commandery in our Yan Province!”
“I asked Commandant Dian why he did so. He merely said it was arranged by Young Master Lu Yu. By the time we arrived at Tai Shan Commandery, five hundred Dragon Might Camp knights were already stationed there, all having changed into commoner’s attire… I presume they are safe.”
“Frankly, I still cannot fathom what Lu Yu is planning with this scheme.”
What is this scheme?
As Cao Ren uttered his words, Cao Cao and Xun Yu exchanged glances, understanding dawning in their eyes…
Cao Ren was oblivious to the underlying reasons, but Cao Cao and Xun Yu, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately grasped Lu Yu’s intentions.
The drinker’s intent is not the wine; Lu Yu was clearly aiming for Xu Province.
Xun Yu cupped his hands towards Cao Cao… “I, Xun Yu, congratulate Lord Cao, I congratulate Lord Cao!”
This action completely bewildered Cao Ren. What was going on?
“Hahaha…” Cao Cao patted Cao Ren’s shoulder again, then patted Xun Yu’s shoulder. “Wen Ruo speaks the truth. Now that Father is safe, and we have an excellent reason to march on Xu Province, hah, it is indeed a cause for celebration!”
Uh… this…
Cao Ren suddenly understood. So… Dian Wei had made a wide detour precisely to conceal the news of Cao Song’s rescue!
In this manner, Tao Qian, on the surface, sent his subordinate Zhang Kai to raid the convoy of the elder master, a blatant disregard for all propriety… Cao Cao’s raising an army to attack Xu Province and avenge his father would be entirely justified… and incidentally, to seize Xu Province, known as the granary of the Central Plains, a brilliant plan, truly brilliant!
At once, Cao Ren greatly admired Lu Yu’s foresight. Thinking three steps ahead… calculating so far in advance from the very beginning! This fellow truly never ceased to bring surprises!
“The news of the demise of our venerable Cao in Lang Ya and Lord Cao’s profound grief has now spread, shaking the Central Plains.”
Xun Yu spoke again. “Taking advantage of this opportunity, there should be no delay. Lord, you must immediately memorialize the court… reporting Tao Qian’s crime, and simultaneously dispatch envoys to Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Gongsun Zan to convey the news of mourning, letting all the warlords know that it was Tao Qian who murdered your father. Once this information arrives, they will all understand.”
“At that time, when Lord raises an army to punish the traitor, it will be by imperial decree to punish the traitor, fulfilling filial piety! It aligns with heavenly will, with human sentiment, and with righteousness. Anyone who dares to aid Tao Qian will be defying the entire world! For this reason alone, Xu Province rightfully belongs to Lord!”
Upon hearing this…
Cao Cao closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, every word of Xun Yu echoing in his mind.
Xu Province… If he could secure Xu Province, the crucial artery of the Central Plains, then his ability to move freely between north and south… the current predicament of being confined to Yan Province would be immediately resolved!
After a full ten breaths, his eyes slowly opened.
“Hahaha…” Cao Cao said with a laugh, his voice filled with emotion. “As for myself, due to excessive grief, I am unable to put pen to paper. I shall trouble Wen Ruo to draft a letter of mourning on my behalf. While submitting the memorial to the court, I shall send it by swift horse to all the warlords, explaining the revenge for my father’s death and the necessity of raising arms for retribution.”
Huu… Xun Yu let out a long sigh and then took out a stack of bamboo slips from his embrace.
“Lord, I have already drafted this letter. Please review it!”
The reason Xun Yu had not produced the letter of mourning earlier was his fear that during Cao Cao’s campaign against Xu Province, in his rage for his father’s death, he might massacre the million inhabitants of Xu Province, incurring the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people. The righteous army would then turn into a slaughtering force! This would invite learned individuals from all directions to aid Tao Qian!
Now, with Cao Song and Cao De alive and well, the only loss was a hundred carts of gold and jewels, which was not enough to blind Cao Cao with hatred.
The true “Avenger” Cao Cao was terrifying! But the “fake” Avenger Cao Cao was not so terrifying; in fact, he was not only not terrifying but quite likable!
The people of Xu Province had narrowly escaped this calamity.
“Hahaha…” Cao Cao roared with laughter. “Wen Ruo, Lu Yu is a prophet, and you are a strategist who anticipates the enemy! Hahaha, your writings are sure to align perfectly with my wishes, no need to look.”
Speaking of which, Cao Cao flung his sleeves… “Zi Xiao, immediately convey my orders to the entire army: we shall march on Tao Qian in ten days!”
“Yes… Yes, my lord!” Cao Ren subconsciously agreed. He felt his intelligence was somewhat lacking. The conversations between his elder brother and Xun Yu, two intelligent individuals, were truly layered with unspoken meanings, and their words carried hidden daggers!
With a final word, Cao Cao and Cao Ren walked out of the yamen. Only Xun Yu remained, lifting his head, gazing at the sky through the window, and murmuring, “The wind rises from the tips of duckweed, the waves form from ripples…”
“Rescuing Cao Song, hiding Cao Song, plotting for Xu Province to pacify the Central Plains. Hidden Dragon, oh Hidden Dragon, was Tao Qian and Zhang Kai from the very beginning merely pawns in your game?”
“Heh, if I, Xun Yu, hadn’t thought of this layer, how could I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you, ‘Hidden Dragon,’ on this fifth level? That’s right, this time Zhang Kai is on the second level, Tao Qian is on the third, and Hidden Dragon is on the fifth!”
…
Exiting the yamen, Cao Cao paused in his steps. He suddenly thought of something and quickly asked, “Zi Xiao, you just mentioned that other factions were also involved in this raid?”
“That’s correct,” Cao Ren nodded. “The one I clashed with was Ji Ling, the foremost general under Yuan Shu of Nanyang. I recognize his voice, and I am not unfamiliar with his three-pointed, double-edged blade…”
Hmm… Yuan Shu?
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes, pondering for a moment. However, he soon raised his head and looked towards the east… “Xu Province, hehe, it’s becoming more and more interesting! Let’s go…”
“Where are you going, Elder Brother?” Cao Ren quickly asked.
“To the Cai residence, to see what that fellow Lu Yu is up to now!” Cao Cao said loudly as he walked.
Suddenly, he felt a strong desire to see Lu Yu, perhaps because he had saved his father and younger brother, or perhaps because… they were already family with his father and younger brother!
It seems that recently, this fellow has been wholeheartedly dedicated to forging?
…
Yan Province, Chen Liu Commandery, Cai residence backyard.
At this moment, the entire backyard had been transformed into a small forging workshop by Lu Yu.
Furnaces, fine iron, and artisans were all present.
Right now, several of the most elite artisans from the Dragon Might Camp were forging something according to Lu Yu’s instructions…
Originally, there was a large forging workshop within the Dragon Might Camp outside the city, and the tomb-robbing tools forged there usually received good reviews…
But as they forged, Lu Yu mused that he could forge something else.
If the forging workshop only served tomb-robbing, wouldn’t that be a waste of talent?
Therefore… this was the current situation: Lu Yu researching steelmaking in the backyard of his residence.
Of course, Lu Yu was aware of some of the theoretical knowledge of steelmaking, such as the familiar C + O₂ = CO₂;
On a more advanced level, iron (fe) contains sulfur (s). S + O₂ (ignited) = SO₂, which is sulfur dioxide. It is precisely this sulfur dioxide that dissolves part of the iron, forging it into steel!
The principles involved include hot quenching and cold quenching. The process of steelmaking is essentially a process of solid-state reinforcement where the properties of halogens decrease.
In plain terms, during the forging of iron, raw iron is blended with tempered iron (liquefied iron). The iron is no longer iron but steel!
Of course, theory is one thing, but practice… is another matter entirely. For seven or eight consecutive days, let alone steelmaking, all the iron Lu Yu had produced was “crunchy,” failing without exception.
Alas…
Lu Yu let out a long sigh. Truly, “What is learned on paper is ultimately shallow; to know it deeply, one must practice it oneself!”
Although he was not personally involved in the great undertaking of forging steel, seeing the artisans sweating profusely, Lu Yu also felt tired!
The key was the continuous failure, which placed immense psychological pressure on him!
Just then, Cai Wenji took out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the sweat from Lu Yu’s brow. “Brother Yu? Does it… must it be hard to a certain extent?”
Uh… Lu Yu was startled.
If another woman besides Cai Wenji had said these words, Lu Yu would have immediately dismissed them as “suggestive talk”!
If it’s not hard… how can it go in!
It must be hard, as hard as “steel”!
Lu Yu pondered that Sister Wenji was still too young and didn’t understand anything… If the opportunity arose, Lu Yu would not mind enlightening her!
…
…