"If this material can be successfully forged, then our army's weapons will be able to cut through stone and break metal, and sharpen iron into mud! In terms of military might, no one among the lords of the realm will be Cao Gong's opponent!"
Lu Yu's words spread...
Every word reached Cao Cao's ears. Cao Cao furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing slightly.
After a brief hesitation, he opened his eyes and said to Cao Ren, "Zi Xiao, immediately transport all the fine iron in the inventory to the Dragon Soaring Camp for Lu Yu to use!"
"Understood..." Cao Ren agreed, giving Lu Yu a meaningful glance before instructing his confidants to handle the matter.
His elder brother Cao Cao's intention was clear: he was taking a gamble, betting that Lu Yu could forge successfully... even if the cost of failure was incredibly painful, he had to gamble!
Of course, in Cao Ren's opinion, it was a gamble worth taking!
Too many miraculous things had happened with Lu Yu. Whether it was his strategies, his arrangements, or his deployments, they were always ingenious, always turning near-death situations into survival!
...With such successes before him, what was a warehouse full of fine iron? What couldn't be gambled on?
*Hoo...* Cao Cao let out a long breath.
In his view... it wasn't so much that he was willing to believe Lu Yu, but rather, he was willing to place his chips on "Cao Yu." He wanted to see just how outstanding his son, lost to the common folk, truly was and how many surprises he could bring him.
And... the phrase "sharpen iron into mud, cut through stone and break metal," Cao Cao loved it! With his personality, even for the sake of these eight characters, he would take this gamble.
Of course, Lu Yu was quite pleased...
Old Cao had foresight, and it was not in vain that he had worked so hard on forging steel.
Beyond that, Lu Yu thought even further... After all, he and his sister were in Cao Ying. The stronger the Cao army became, the more comfortable they could live... This steel forging endeavor was imperative, no matter how one looked at it!
"My dear sister, it will be noon soon. I trust my and Zi Xiao's two sets of chopsticks will not be a burden to the household?" Cao Cao turned to Cai Zhao Ji...
His meaning was clear: Dear sister, please excuse yourself. What follows is a discussion between men.
"Naturally, there is no shortage," Cai Zhao Ji immediately understood and said with a gentle smile. "However, I have been remiss. I haven't yet instructed the cooks to prepare more food... How about this, elder brother and brother Yu chat here for a moment, and I will go to the kitchen to see..."
"Thank you, dear sister!" Cao Cao said with a smile...
As they spoke, Cai Zhao Ji gracefully walked away... At the same time, Cao Cao ordered his accompanying personal guards to withdraw. As the melting process was still some distance away, the only people who could hear each other were Cao Cao, Cao Ren, and Lu Yu.
Only then did Cao Cao speak, his voice deliberately lowered considerably. "You have rendered great service by saving my father and brother this time. What reward would you like from me?"
As these words left his mouth, Lu Yu understood.
It seemed... Cao Ren had not persuaded the old master to leave earlier, but rather, Dian Wei had saved them...
Therefore, Cao Song and Cao De should now be in Taishan Commandery! Lu Yu had specifically dispatched five hundred Dragon Soaring Cavalry to guard them there, ensuring their safety.
Furthermore, Old Cao owed him a tremendous favor!
In the Han Dynasty, filial piety was paramount. Saving Old Cao's father was a kindness that was equivalent to being his reborn parents!
Oh, for a fleeting moment, Lu Yu felt as though he were about to become a father himself!
Of course, it was only for that fleeting moment...
Lu Yu replied with a serious expression, "Didn't Cao Gong already bestow a reward just now? A warehouse full of fine iron... The value of this is enough to buy dozens of large houses in Chenliu Commandery. This reward is already quite generous."
He said this because Lu Yu was too familiar with Cao Cao.
There was a knack to working under Old Cao. The more you showed what you wanted, the more he would be suspicious of you, thinking you had ambitions. Even if he gave it to you, he would be wary of you!
Conversely, if you showed that you wanted nothing, he would be eager to give it to you. Guo Jia and Sima Yi were examples of this!
Especially Guo Jia, who only asked for women and wine. Cao Cao still appointed him to the crucial position of "Advisor and Libation Officer"...
This showed that Cao Cao, while naturally suspicious and prone to suspicion, was by no means stingy.
Therefore, Lu Yu's constant demeanor had to be: I want nothing, unless you forcefully give it to me!
"Forging is forging, and a reward is a reward. How can they be the same thing?" Cao Cao waved his hand, then said loudly, "Previously, I was concerned about your young age. If I granted you too high an official title, the clans would naturally be resentful!"
"Now, my Cao Cao's army is strong and my provisions are ample. I no longer need to worry so much. I appoint you as the Mu Fu Gong Cao (幕府功曹)! To specifically devise strategies for me!"
Mu Fu Gong Cao...
This official title might not sound significant, but... in reality, its status was very high. Because he was Cao Cao's Mu Fu Gong Cao, his status in Yan Province was equivalent to that of a "Yi Lang" (议郎) under the Emperor in the Han territories of the past.
Yi Lang could offer suggestions to the Emperor at any time. Cao Cao himself had served in this capacity in the past...
Other Yi Langs would slack off at work, but he submitted a series of proposals that pointed out the ills of the times!
The people he offended could be lined up from the Zhuque Gate of the imperial palace all the way to the Canglong Gate... He was considered the epitome of a "reckless youth" during that period!
As a result... the more refined and worldly Cai Song was almost in tears!
This time, Lu Yu had become Cao Cao's "Yi Lang." He could offer suggestions when the mood struck him, and he could also slack off at work, sticking to a nine-to-five schedule. This was not bad at all. The key was that those around Cao Cao held high status, allowing them to traverse Yan Province with impunity!
"To be appointed as Cao Gong's Mu Fu Gong Cao is truly Lu Yu's great fortune. I thank Cao Gong here." Lu Yu did not refuse, cupped his hands, and bowed...
"Hahaha..." Cao Cao clapped him on the shoulder, laughing repeatedly. "I was afraid you'd find this official title too small..."
"Not small at all! For me, it's just the right size!" Lu Yu replied with a smile...
Cao Cao nodded... He was quite satisfied with his arrangements and Lu Yu's response.
In fact, this time he had really thought one step further than Lu Yu had imagined.
Firstly, the Mu Fu Gong Cao title was not high, so it would prevent Lu Yu from becoming lost in himself by holding a high position at such a young age;
Secondly, this Mu Fu Gong Cao was someone close to Cao Cao, with not a low status. This would make it convenient for Lu Yu to act in Yan Province, allowing him to propose and implement any bold ideas he might have;
Furthermore, Mu Fu Gong Cao could participate in the formulation of strategic actions, which would facilitate his interaction with the various strategists and generals, laying the foundation for cultivating his own team in the future;
And the most important point, and what Cao Cao valued most, was that Mu Fu Gong Cao would be strategizing from the rear, far from the battlefield, ensuring his safety. It was truly a four-pronged approach!
It had to be said that Cao Cao had doted on this eldest son with great care.
"Haha... Tomorrow, during the official discussion of the strategy to attack Xu Province, will Commissioner Lu be attending?" Cao Cao patted Lu Yu on the shoulder again...
Lu Yu keenly noticed that when mentioning the attack on Xu Province, there was a hint of hesitation in Cao Cao's tone...
That's right, this was something that only appeared when Xu Province was mentioned... Old Cao seemed to have some unspeakable concerns.
"Does Cao Gong have any other concerns about conquering Xu Province?" Lu Yu asked directly.
"It's not a concern, but tomorrow... I can already imagine what some strategists will say in the office..."
Cao Cao's expression turned serious. "The current state of the world is such that one move affects the whole. If we go to attack Xu Province, what should we do if Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shu, or Liu Biao raid our Yan Province?"
"To put it another way, if even one of them attacks, then... with the Danyang soldiers of Xu Province in front of us and strong troops behind us, we would be unable to manage both ends, trapped in a dilemma!"
Uh... Lu Yu was taken aback. Was Old Cao speaking so euphemistically?
For example, the phrase "I can already imagine what some strategists will say in the office tomorrow?" To Lu Yu, this sounded like "I have a friend who is impotent, suffers from premature ejaculation, and cannot get an erection..."
Based on Lu Yu's experience with the phrase "I have a friend"...
It turned out that it wasn't the strategists who were concerned about these things, but rather Cao Cao himself was worried about someone sneaking up on him from behind!
How... how should he explain this?
Lu Yu's eyes darted around as he carefully recalled the situation in various regions over the past year.
It was only upon recalling this that Lu Yu suddenly felt that Cao Cao's attack on Xu Province, driven by "reason," was as stable as an old dog!
...
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